05/14/2026
Signed into law in 1962 by the late President John F. Kennedy,15 May is designated as National Peace Officer Memorial Day.
This date is a federal holiday to remember local, tribal, state, and federal law enforcement officers that have been disabled or died in the line of duty.
Today there are approximately 735,000 active sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. Estimates show that there maybe up to 3,000,000 living retired law enforcement officers.
The first law enforcement officer to be killed in the line of duty was on 29 April 1786 when Sheriff Benjamin Branch of the Chesterfield County, Virginia Sheriff’s Department was killed in a horse accident.
On 3 January 1791, Constable Darius Quimby from the Albany, New York Constable’s Department was killed in the line of duty while effecting an arrest of Whiting Sweeting on a trespassing warrant.
Sweeting was convicted for the murder of Constable Quimby and hung on 26 August 1791.
In the history of our country almost 25,000 officers have laid down their lives in the protection of this nation, the Thin Blue Line.
The New York City Police Department leads with the most officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice with 1,183 officers dying in the line of duty.
Texas leads states with the most in the line of duty deaths of LEO with 2,078 and Vermont has the least with 26 fatalities.
In the last ten years 2,591 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty, with 474 passing because of Covid related reasons.
9-11 was the deadliest day in US Law Enforcement history with 72 officers perishing in the deadly terrorist attacks on the United States.
570 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty from the State of New Jersey.
One of those New Jersey Officers was Patrolman Mortimer Louis Perry, the only in the line duty death from the Millburn Police Department.
Officer Perry was a native of upstate New York who joined MPD after combat service in the United States Army in World War I.
On 6 November 1925, Officer Perry was on motorcycle patrol in the area of what would 363 Millburn Avenue.
At the time Millburn Avenue in that area was a two way street. Officer Perry was notified of an emergency and while executing a u-turn to travel east of Millburn Avenue when he was struck a killed by a driver of a Bond Bread Truck that failed to yield for the young 33 year old officer.
Officer Perry was thrown over 300 feet from his motorcycle and threw a store plate glass window, passing on the spot.
The driver of the truck was arrested and charged by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for the officer’s death.
Officer Perry was married and left behind a young bride.
In 1995 a ceremony and plaque was dedicated on the 70th anniversary of this tragic event at Millburn Police Headquarters.
Motorcycle units from all over the northeast attended this historic event; including the Metropolitan Police Department - Washington DC and the NYPD.
As part of the process of getting Officer Perry’s name inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Memorial an exhaustive investigation was launched in 1995.
Eyewitnesses, then in their eighties, were interviewed who were children playing in the playground adjacent to the old Washington School (today the School House Plaza) who witnessed and never forgot this incident.
Members of the Millburn Police Department traveled to Washington DC for Peace Officer Memorial Day in 1996 to pay tribute to Officer Perry.
We will never forget our own. God bless the men and women who have and continue to serve the law enforcement community and most importantly we will never forget those that have paid the ultimate price for our protection.
Pictures
Patrolman Perry
Patrolman Perry’s grave - Springfield NJ Presbyterian Cemetery
MPD Members who went to Washington DC, 1996, when Officer Perry’s name was added to the National Law Enforcement Memorial.
Ceremony to dedicate the Perry Memorial at MPD Headquarters.
