ODU Flags Flown at Half-staff for Peace Officers Memorial Day

May 15, 2013

Flags at Old Dominion University will be flown at half-staff Wednesday, May 15, in conjunction with a national observance honoring fallen police officers.

By order of a 1962 congressional resolution, May 15 of each year is designated "Peace Officers Memorial Day" and the week in which it falls as "Police Week."

As part of the annual observance, President Barack Obama issued a proclamation requesting the occasion be marked with "appropriate ceremonies and activities" and that state governors direct that flags at government facilities be flown at half-staff. He further encouraged "all Americans to display the flag at half-staff from their homes and businesses."

In his proclamation, Obama noted the "ultimate sacrifice" made by officers in the course of their duties.

"Setting aside fear and doubt, these officers made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the rule of law and the communities they loved," the proclamation states. "They heard the call to serve and answered it; braved the line of fire; charged toward the danger. Our hearts are heavy with their loss, and on Peace Officers Memorial Day, our Nation comes together to reflect on the legacy they left us."

To read the proclamation in its entirety, visit the White House website.