Nation commemorates more than 24,000 fallen officers on Peace Officers Memorial Day

Today, on National Peace Officers Memorial Day, the Southaven Police Department said in a Facebook post that it honors more than 24,000 law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.

“Each one of these fallen officers represents a story of service, sacrifice and dedication to community,” the post said. The department singled out Southaven police Lt. James “Billy” Lance, who was killed on Oct. 7, 1988, saying it will always acknowledge his sacrifice, remember his courage and honor his legacy.

The post asked residents to keep the families of fallen officers in their prayers and thanked everyone who acknowledged the department during National Police Week with acts of kindness, saying those gestures “mean more than you know.”

National Peace Officers Memorial Day is observed to honor law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.