Gearing up for National Police Week: Finalizing the Names

With about two months to go until National Police Week, the Memorial Fund’s Research Department has reached a crucial point for this year's engraving —they have tested the proof of the names laid out on the Memorial walls and made final changes to the placement.

Adding the names of fallen officers onto the Memorial is a process that starts long before names are engraved in the spring and formally dedicated on May 13th at the annual Candlelight Vigil. The Memorial Fund’s Research Department works year-round collecting records, running reports and intricately reviewing and approving names, leading up to Police Week.

After several meetings of the Memorial Fund’s Names Committee, comprised of representatives from the Board of Directors, the final list of names that will be engraved is sent to a type setter and to our engravers, who provide proofs of the names which are double and triple checked for spelling errors.

Research takes the proofs to the Memorial, to ensure the names fit on each of the panels on the east and west sides of the Memorial walls. Names of the officers are in no set order on the Memorial; placement generally depends on the length of a name and how it fits onto the width of the panel.

Last year, the engraving process was modified to improve the product of each name engraved.  The new process is more complex and requires that after each panel is engraved, it is stained twice and then allowed to cure for at least 72 hours (weather permitting). The panels cannot be exposed to the elements, nor can names be etched onto paper until the panel is completely cured.

When engraving begins in April, visit www.LawMemorial.org for updates on any potential panel or wall closures before visiting the Memorial.  The Memorial Fund apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause our visitors.