Every minute of every day, police men and women around the world work to protect us. They catch criminals, break down their networks, and ensure justice is served against those people who don’t respect the importance of law and order.
Yet it comes at a heavy price.
Every year, thousands of police officers in our member countries are injured, and many die, paying the ultimate price in the service of justice.
From routine duties to anti-terrorist operations, police men and women take risks every day to protect the public. They fall victim to indiscriminate as well as targeted attacks. Here are just some examples:
- Shot by thieves robbing a mobile phone shop
- Knocked down and killed by a stolen pick-up truck
- Stopping a terrorist from entering a government building
- Arresting a subject wanted for a shooting
- Drowned while responding to a boat in distress on a reservoir
- Shot in the chest while on duty during a royal ceremony
- Killed in peacekeeping operations
- Stabbed by a motorcycle thief
- Killed by a bus ploughing into riot police
Remember the Fallen
At INTERPOL, we pay tribute to the commitment and sacrifice of all these police men and women who have given their lives while supporting their communities. At INTERPOL, we believe it is our responsibility and duty to honour all those who have given their lives, as well as the families and friends they have left behind.
We have two memorial plaques: one at our General Secretariat in Lyon, and another in our Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore. Visitors are encouraged to stop for a moment and consider the sacrifice made in their country.
This memorial is a permanent reminder that serving the cause of law enforcement is so much more than wearing a uniform, it is a dangerous occupation undertaken by dedicated men and women.
International Day of Remembrance for Fallen Police Officers
Every 7 March, we call upon the global community to recognize the risks faced by police officers worldwide, who have placed public service above their own safety, inspiring - and protecting - future generations of police officers.
