Three years ago, May 2016, Mike traveled with the Police Unity Tour from New Jersey to the Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C. as an escort officer on his police motorcycle during National Police Week. Mike was one of the motors officers representing the San Jose Police Department and riding in honor of his fallen brothers Officer Jeffry Fontana, EOW 10-28-01 and Officer Michael Johnson, EOW 3-24-15. He was escorting hundreds of men and women who were also making the 300 mile trip via bicycles to honor fallen officers.
“In May 1997, the Police Unity Tour was organized, by Officer Patrick P. Montuore of the Florham Park Police Department, with the hope of bringing public awareness of Police Officers who have died in the line of duty and to honor their sacrifices. What started with 18 riders on a four day fund-raising bicycle ride from Florham Park, NJ to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. Has grown into nine chapters consisting of nearly 2500 members nationwide who make the trip annually”. -policeunitytour.com
That whole week Mike sent me pictures of his amazing trip. He was having the time of his life and was so honored to be able to ride into the Law Enforcement Memorial to honor his fallen brothers and sisters. He told me how humbling it was and how grateful he was to be given that opportunity to witness the unforgettable honor shown to the fallen heroes that takes place during that week.
National Police Week takes place around the dates of May 6 – May 16 each year. It pays tribute to police officers who have died in the line of duty. Local and state memorials take place during the week as well. President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation in 1962, which set aside May 15th especially to honor fallen police officers.The formal national memorial in is held on that day each year in Washington, D.C.
That trip for Mike was a gift from the Lord. When he came home he showed the boys and I hundreds of pictures he had taken and so many videos. The respect and remembrance for the fallen officers and their families was simply amazing.
Little did we know that reliving Mike’s trip through his pictures, videos and stories he shared with us was preparing the boys and I for Police Memorial Week, 2017.
Less than a month after Mike returned from Washington D.C. he was killed in the line of duty.
This meant that the boys and I would be traveling to D.C. to attend Police Week 2017. This meant that this year instead of Mike attending to honor his brothers and sisters in blue we were there to honor him.
The awesome part of the whole emotionally exhausting week is that we walked where Mike walked. We ate at the restaurants he ate at, we saw the sights he saw, we stayed in the hotel he stayed in, we attended the ceremonies in his honor that he attended in his friends’ honor, we saw his name etched on the same wall where he saw his fallen brothers names and where he took pictures for us to see . It was like he was on that trip with us.
Our trip during National Police Week to Washington, D.C. was amazing, humbling, emotional, angering, sad, and incredibly special for the boys and I.
National Police Week is a very special week to me and it is not to be confused with Police Appreciation Week or Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D) which is held every January. These special dates are to thank current and retired police officers for their service.
Police Week is to honor the fallen.
Both incredibly important weeks to recognize the sacrifice law enforcement officers make, yet very different. I, myself, didn’t really know the difference until National Police Week became my reality.
Every person attending ceremonies and events during National Police Week to honor fallen officers wish they were honoring their officer in January and not May.
In honor of National Police Week I remember my husband in heaven, Officer Michael J. Katherman and all the men and women who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
