72 Officers Honored at 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Sept. 11, 2009
A ceremony scheduled for today at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., will recall the deadliest day in U.S. law enforcement history. Seventy-two peace officers were killed in the line of duty during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

At 9 a.m., board members and staff of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) gathered along Panels 9 through 22 of the memorial’s west wall, where the names of the 72 officers are engraved together on Line 23. Following brief remarks, the officers' names were read aloud, and a wreath and commemorative poster in their honor was laid.

“With the passage of time, the horrific events of 9/11 seem to have faded a bit from our collective consciousness,” said NLEOMF Chairman and CEO Craig W. Floyd. “But the service and sacrifice of the 72 courageous law enforcement heroes who laid down their own lives that day for the safety and protection of others will always be remembered here at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.”

Among the law enforcement officers who died on 9/11 were 71 killed at the World Trade Center, plus one officer – Richard Guadagno, a sworn refuge manager with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – who was among the passengers who died in Pennsylvania while fighting to regain control of Flight 93 from the terrorists. Thirty-seven members of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Force, including its superintendent, Fred Morrone, died on 9/11. That number represents the most fatalities suffered by a single law enforcement agency in one day in U.S. history.

Also killed at the World Trade Center that day were 23 members of the New York City Police Department; five members of the New York State Department of Taxation & Finance; three members of the New York State Office of Court Administration; a special agent with the FBI; a master special officer with the U.S. Secret Service; and a New York City fire marshal who had sworn law enforcement powers.

The names of all 72 officers killed on 9/11 can be found on the NLEOMF Web site. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial contains the names of 18,661 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

Sponsored Recommendations

Committing to Safety: Why Leadership’s Role in Safety Excellence is Key

Jan. 13, 2025
Leadership has the power to transform an organization through their behavior and vision, which can result in the creation of an organizational culturethat supports safety excellence...

Speak Up! Cementing "See Something, Say Something" to Drive Safety

Jan. 13, 2025
Many organizations promote "see something, say something" to encourage their people to intervene and make work safe. But most don't go far enough to equip teams with the skills...

The Truth and Challenges of Cultivating Chronic Unease

Jan. 13, 2025
DEKRA announces its latest white paper, “The Truth and Challenges of Cultivating Chronic Unease,” as a definitive look into why being vulnerable to incidents strengthens our commitment...

Mitigating Risks: Strategies for Safeguarding Workers in Hazardous Workplaces

Jan. 13, 2025
Join our expert team in taking on the challenge to make safety part of your organization’s DNA as work, the workforce, and workplaces evolve.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!