Warner Robins Police Honor Guard to represent city in Washington, D.C. during Police Week

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. —President John F. Kennedy designated National Police Week in 1962 for the week that May 15 falls on, while the day itself was recognized nationwide as Peace Officers Memorial Day.

Locally, the Warner Robins Police Department plans their own events surrounding Police Week and takes the time to recognize fallen officers around the state. This year has a broader scope for the department, however, as they will send some of their own to Washington, D.C. to take part in Police Week events and represent the International City in our nation’s capitol.

Five members of the department’s Honor Guard will be traveling for multiple events in the capitol next weekend, according to Sgt. Randy Evans.

On May 13, they will attend a candlelight vigil, held on the National Mall, courtesy of the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund. This year, 556 fallen members of law enforcement will be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, and will be properly dedicated during the ceremony.

The NLEOMF estimates around 30,000 people attend the ceremony, during an event meant to bring surviving family members, law enforcement, and the public together.

On May 15, the department will attend a National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service at noon that will be at the United States Capitol Building. That day, wreaths will be taken to the National Law Enforcement Memorial, and teams will take 15-minute shifts watching over the wreaths. The department will take over for a shift that night.

While it’s unrelated to Police Week, the department also has the honor of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Applications opened up in late August of last year; the department submitted a request and was chosen for their desired date of May 15.

In both Police Week events and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier event, the department has the chance to represent the city of Warner Robins, something they are honored to do. The members going are connected to law enforcement, and one is connected to military, as Evans explained.

“We’ve actually got a combat veteran in the Marine Corps that will be with us … We’ll be taking part in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and, of course, the events with the [NLEOMF]. So we’re excited,” Evans said.

With connections to the NLEOMF, Evans said there has been effort in the past to attend the events, but timing and a global pandemic weren’t on the department’s side. This year, outreach from Sgt. Justin Wilcox changed the course for the department in attending the wreath laying and the department is proud to be able to attend the police week events.

“Correspondence came through the other officer that submitted it. He called me and I’m like, ‘you’ve got to be kidding!’ I was shocked and surprised,” Evans said.

While it may be too far away to tell, Evans is hopeful the department could return to Washington for next year’s Police Week events.

“I would like to be able to take some more members. There had been some discussion about possibly going next year, but that’s a little too far in advance right now,” Evans explained. “But we would like to return with some different members, to take them for the experience.”

Closer to home, the department has multiple events planned for Police Week: a “Pray for Police” event on May 17, at 10 a.m. at the police department building; a “Night of Blue Lights” event on May 18 at 6.p.m. at the At Home parking lot on Watson Blvd.; and a candlelight vigil on May 19, at 6 p.m. at Southside Baptist Church.

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