SOUTHWEST, Va. – Across the country and in local communities, flags are lowered, and hearts are heavy. Today is National Peace Officers Memorial Day—a solemn reminder of the men and women in uniform who gave their lives protecting others.
Every badge tells a story, and some stories end in sacrifice.
Major Clifford Wood, a sheriff’s deputy at Campbell County, reflected on the personal impact of this day. “For us in Campbell County, that reality became heartbreakingly personal on the night of April 3, 2007.”
That night, Deputy Jason Saunders lost his life in the line of duty. Nearly 15 years later, his memory is kept alive through a wreath-laying ceremony held each year in his honor.
Peggy Saunders, the mother of Jason Saunders, shared her sentiments: “This always means a lot to us because we know Jason is not being forgotten. The sheriff’s office makes sure of that. That’s what I was always concerned about, was people wouldn’t remember who he was, but he was a good kid and a good cop.”
Across the U.S., more than 24,000 officers have died in the line of duty throughout recorded history. In 2024 alone, 147 officers lost their lives—a 25 percent increase from the year before.
Sheriff Whit Clark of Campbell County noted, “And it seems the number grows every year. The streets are more dangerous now.”
Similar ceremonies were held across the region. In the Roanoke Valley, more than 10 agencies came together for a joint memorial.
Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee emphasized the daily risks officers face: “Every day when they put on that badge, they put on that gun, and they kiss their wife, husband, or partner goodbye in the morning and hug their kids, they know they may not come home.”
In Danville, six officers were remembered during a solemn service.
These ceremonies serve as a powerful reminder of the risk’s officers take each day.
Matt Bell, a spokesperson for the Danville Police Department, stated, “They are going into danger when many people are going out, so that title ‘first responder’ is more than just a title; it’s an action.”