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Video Transcript

Director Christopher Wray: Each year in May, our nation pauses to commemorate Police Week.

It's a time we set aside to salute all our nation's law enforcement officers who dedicate their lives to the service of others, facing difficult, dangerous, and too often deadly circumstances as they work to keep us all safe.

Those who wear the badge have chosen to do something truly extraordinary with their lives.

They've made a choice to serve and protect, to defend our communities and hold criminals accountable, and to show up and be there for people in their hour of need. It's hard to imagine a higher calling than that. 

So, Police Week gives us an important opportunity to recognize and thank those heroes who walk among us; the men and women of courage and character who think of others before themselves no matter the cost.

It's a sad reality, and an unacceptable one, that sometimes that commitment to others means making the ultimate sacrifice. But the loss of even one brave officer is too many.

Last year, 60 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed—as in murdered—in the line of duty. Sixty officers who picked up their badges one morning, said goodbye to their families, and didn't make it home.

At the end of the day, 60 officers who were willing to run toward danger rather than away from it and put their lives on the line to keep others, often complete strangers, safe. 

And tragically, that trend is continuing this year. 

So, Police Week is also a time for us to remember those who've made that ultimate sacrifice to mourn their loss and to pay tribute to their selfless service. They will never be forgotten, and we will do our best today, and every day, to honor their legacies by continuing our commitment to those we serve.

We owe our law enforcement officers across the country a debt of gratitude we can never repay. But what we can do this Police Week is celebrate their courage, thank them for their service, and honor those we've lost far too soon. 

To our FBI family; to our federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners; and to our law enforcement partners around the world: please know that you have my gratitude for all you've done and all you continue to do to protect our communities. We're safer thanks to you.

So thank you again for your service. And as always, stay safe out there.