National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day is a holiday that falls on January 9th every year and helps citizens come together to show appreciation for their local law enforcement. It’s a day when citizens can take the time to show police officers that their work is appreciated and that they understand how difficult their job can be. It’s also a good day for police officers and the community to come together to create safer communities.

The History of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

On August 9, 2014, an 18-year-old black man named Michael Brown Jr. was fatally shot by a 28-year-old white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. The shooting prompted waves of protests that continued for weeks. Against this backdrop, some citizens, police appreciation groups, and police organizations felt that there was too much negativity concerning law enforcement in the community, so they decided to create a holiday on which citizens can show appreciation for their local police.

One of the main organizations involved in the creation of this holiday was C.O.P.S., also known as Concerns of Police Survivors. This organization founded the holiday in 2015 as a way for citizens to let police officers know that their work in the community is appreciated and that they understand how difficult modern policing can be. It’s a holiday that has been celebrated ever since.

Facts About Law Enforcement

We thought we’d add a bit of information about law enforcement that will help everyone celebrating this holiday get a better idea of the challenges, as well as the problems, that face modern law enforcement organizations and officers.

• In the United States, there are approximately 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers.
• Of the law enforcement officers serving in the U.S., approximately 108,000 of them are female.
• September 11, 2001, was the deadliest single day for police officers in the U.S.; 72 officers were killed.
• Between 1791 and 2020, there have been over 20,700 police officers killed in the line of duty.
• The deadliest decade for law enforcement was the 1920s.
• During the 1920s, an average of 243 police officers died each year.
• The single deadliest year in law enforcement was 1930, during which 304 officers were killed.

Celebrating National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day can be easily celebrated by taking a moment to thank law enforcement. This can be done by wearing a blue shirt on this day, sending a thank-you card to your local police department, or by participating in Project Blue Light by displaying a blue light on your front porch. Parents can have their children write thank-you letters to local law enforcement, and people can spread the word about this holiday by using the hashtag #NationalLawEnforcementAppreciationDay on their social media accounts.