ALAMOSA — Continuing with a tradition that is now in its 18th year, the city of Alamosa is holding a memorial service honoring peace officers of the San Luis Valley who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

In recognition of National Peace Officers Memorial week from May 12 to 18, the service in Alamosa will be held on Wednesday, May 15, at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Alamosa Safety Complex, 425 4th St.

The memorial service will be preceded by a procession of lights with officers instructed to meet at 3110 1st St. at 5 p.m. A dinner will follow the service.

“We would like to take this opportunity to invite law enforcement and the public, as well, to join us during this time to recognize and honor all of the Fallen Police Officers in the San Luis Valley, as well as those officers across the state and nationwide who have fallen in the line of duty,” reads the press release from the city.

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, there were 136 law enforcement officers in federal, state, county, municipal, military, tribal and campus agencies across the nation who lost their lives in 2023, representing a 39% decrease from the 224 officers who died in the line of duty in 2022.

The organization’s website also states that, of those 136 law enforcement officers who died in 2023, 47 were firearms-related fatalities. That is a 25% decrease from the 63 officers killed by gunfire the previous year, but firearms-related fatalities are still the leading cause of death.

“There is no such thing as ‘good news’ when reporting even a single officer being killed in the line-of-duty,” states National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund CEO Bill Alexander on the organization’s website. “Yet we are encouraged to see fewer overall officer deaths across all major categories in 2023. Using and reporting on this data allows us to highlight the continuing dangers faced by our law enforcement professionals, particularly the number of officers who are shot and killed each year.”