Flags in Ohio to fly at half-staff May 15. Here are the people being honored nationwide

Mariyam Muhammad and Cheryl McCloud, Columbus Dispatch
·4 min read

Flags across the United States will be flown at half-staff Wednesday, May 15 for Peace Officers Memorial Day.

"On Peace Officers Memorial Day and during Police Week, let us show our gratitude for all the women and men of our Nation’s law enforcement community, who make extraordinary sacrifices every day," President Joe Biden said in a proclamation released Friday.

"Let us honor the memory of those who have fallen in service to their fellow Americans.  Let us recommit to supporting the people in uniform and their families, who ensure the safety of our communities all across the Nation."

Police Week was set for May 12 through May 18.

What is Peace Officers Memorial Day, Police Week?

"National Police Week pays special recognition to law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others," according to National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 to be National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls as National Police Week.

"National Police Week offers honor, remembrance, and peer support, while allowing law enforcement, survivors, and citizens to gather and pay homage to those who gave their lives in the line of duty," PoliceWeek.org said.

More: Suspect in shooting death of Euclid, Ohio, police officer dead after standoff

Two Ohio officers among 58 killed in line of duty in 2024

There have been 58 deaths of police officers in the line of duty so far in 2024, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page. Two of the officers served in Ohio.

Police Officer Jacob Derbin of Euclid Police Department died from gunfire while investigating a call, leading to shots fired by the suspect.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine separately ordered flags in the state to be flown at half-staff in honor of Derbin, who was involved in a fatal shooting in the line of service on May 11.

An Ohio prison lieutenant, Rodney Osborne, died from gunfire during a firing range training session.

More: Fatal shooting of Ohio officer during training being investigated as homicide, records say

What did President Biden say about Police Officer Week?

"Every day, police officers pin on their shields and walk out the door, rushing into harm’s way to keep the rest of us safe.  Being a police officer is more than what they do — it is who they are," Biden said in the proclamation.

"On Peace Officers Memorial Day and during Police Week, we recognize the incredible courage of our nation’s police officers and honor the fallen heroes, whose ultimate sacrifice we can never repay."

Total line of duty deaths in 2024 across the US

According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, the breakdown of deaths of officers as of May 13 in the U.S. is:

  • 9/11 related illness: 2

  • Aircraft accident: 1

  • Assault: 1

  • Automobile crash: 13

  • Boating accident: 1

  • Drowned: 1

  • Duty-related illness: 1

  • Electrocuted: 1

  • Fire: 1

  • Gunfire: 21

  • Gunfire (Inadvertent): 1

  • Heart attack: 4

  • Stabbed: 1

  • Struck by vehicle: 7

  • Vehicular assault: 2

Most officer deaths by state in US

  • New York: 5

  • Georgia: 4

  • North Carolina: 4

  • Tennessee: 4

  • Texas: 4

  • US government: 4

  • Illinois: 3

Is it half-mast or half-staff?

On ships and at naval stations ashore, flags are flown at half-mast.

On shore, flags are flown at half-staff.

What is the difference between half-mast and half-staff?

Typically, the difference between the two is where the flag is being flown.

Half-mast refers to flags flown on ships, while half-staff is used for flags flown on land, at least in the U.S. In Canada and Britain, even flags flown on land are referred to being at half-mast, according to federalflags.com.

Why are flags flown at half-staff or half-mast?

Flying the flag at half-staff is a "solemn and widely recognized gesture that signifies mourning, respect, or remembrance," according to federalflags.com.

"The concept of lowering flags as a symbol of mourning or distress has its origins in naval customs."

The decision to have the flag flown at half-staff can be made only by the president or a state's governor.

How do you fly your flag correctly at half-staff?

  • Raise the flag all the way to the top of the flagpole.

  • Then lower it a third of the way down from the top of the flagpole.

When are flags flown at half-staff?

"The American flag is flown at half-staff or half-mast when the country or state is in mourning, according to USA.gov.

In most cases, an American flag flies at half-staff during one of three occasions:

  • The death of a government official, military member, or emergency first responder

  • A national tragedy

  • Memorial Day or another national day of remembrance

Days when the flag always flies at half-staff and when those dates are in 2024 are:

  • National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service, May 5, 2024

  • Peace Officer Memorial Day, May 15, 2024

  • Memorial Day, May 27, 2024

  • Patriot Day, Sept. 11, 2024

  • Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, Dec. 7, 2024

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Here's why flags in Ohio will fly at half-staff on May 15