Joint Base Balad Law Enforcement Members Celebrate National Police Week

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tong Duong
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq --  More than 200 law enforcement personnel attended the National Police Week Ceremony May 14, at the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here.

In 1962, former President John F. Kennedy designated May 15 as National Police Officer Memorial day. The event paid special recognition to law enforcement officers who had fallen in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. The observance evolved into a weeklong event celebrated annually as National Police Week.

"As we commemorate Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week, we honor the discipline and distinction our peace officers have shown in conditions we can only imagine," said President Barack Obama, in his Presidential Proclamation. "They are continually called upon to remain vigilant and take courageous actions. As a country we promise to stand beside our public safety community and do our part to help keep America safe and secure."

Therefore, I, Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, due hereby proclaim May 15, 2011 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and May 15- 21, 2011 as Police Week."

Col. Tim Farrell, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Group commander, said it is important to honor our fallen police heroes.

"In deployed operations across Iraq and Afghanistan, the Gulf States and in route ports, the Air Force team has recently lost three of their family members in the line of duty," Colonel Farrell said. "This week we recognize their invaluable contributions of upholding justice and freedom for all."

According to Colonel Farrell, peace officers at home and abroad face threats of violence and danger every day. On average, 150 members are killed every year.

"As a nation we rely on our peace officers to keep our communities safe, enforce our laws and respond in times of crises," the colonel, who is also the joint base defense force commander, air provost and Balad's chief of police, said.

Colonel Farrell told those in the audience they owe it to their fallen brothers and sisters to keep their bodies, minds and spirits strong. To be mission ready and resilient, and keep their JBB community safe.

"In their memory we must continue to work and with vigilance and dedication to identify and arrest those who seek to do us harm," he said. "Along with all of our Joint Inter-Agency Federal and State peace officers brother and sisters we'll sound retreat to carry on their and all of our fallen protectors on this solemn day."

Balad's Joint Inter-Agency Law Enforcers including the 332 ESFG, Expeditionary Detachment 2411 of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Army Criminal Investigation Team and inter-agency task force members fighting corruption and fraud. They were present to honor their fallen law enforcement brothers and sisters.

Master Sgt. Tara Brown, deployed from AFOSI, was killed April 27 in Kabul, Afghanistan when a gunman opened fire on her and seven other Airmen.

Senior Airman Nicholas Alden, a Security Forces member, was killed March 2 at Frankfurt Airport, Germany, while traveling enroute to Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan.

Airman 1st Class Christopher Johnson died Feb. 17 in a non-combat related accident while serving in Southwest Asia.