Representative of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety will journey to Washington, D.C. during the week of May 13th through 15th to take part in a ceremony honoring Georgia's fallen officers at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial during National Police Week 2004.

As part of the GOHS mission to save lives on our roadways and to educate motorists about dangerous driving behaviors, we recognize the efforts of law enforcement officers who have given the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in the line of duty. We also reflect on the officers who lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes while partnering with GOHS to fulfill that mission.

This year, 362 Officers' names will be added to the Law Enforcement Memorial Wall in Washington, DC and remembered on May 15, 2004. The number includes 145 officers who were killed in the line of duty in 2003. Ten of them were killed in Georgia, now ranked as the second highest state for officers killed in 2003.

Nationally, of the 145 Officers killed during 2003, 52 were killed in Automobile Crashes, the greatest cause of death. In Georgia, the number of officers killed in traffic related incidents repesents an even more compelling figure. Out of the ten Georgia officers killed in 2003, six were killed in traffic crashes, including a Georgia State Trooper killed during a pursuit. One officer was killed in a vehicular assault and another was shot during a traffic stop. In addition to these Georgia heroes, the Memorial Research Department has uncovered 217 historic cases whose names will be added to the Memorial Wall this year.

The GOHS Deputy Director and Special Operations Director will attend the Candlelight Vigil and the Police Memorial Ceremonies in Washington DC and meet with as many of the Georgia officers' families as possible. GOHS thanks these families for the sacrifices these heroes made for the people of Georgia and recognizes their dedication to saving lives on Georgia's roadways while putting their own lives at risk.

A local Memorial Service will be held at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, Georgia on May 21st at 10 a.m. For more information about National Police Week, visit http://www.nleomf.com/ or the Officer Down Memorial Page. To view photographs from the 2004 National Service, you can visit http://www.gahighwaysafety.org/georgiaphotographs.html