Bright Lights, Big Moment
Law enforcement finds a time to shine in D.C.
n BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
The photographs and memories present a view of Police
Week 2016 portraying the biggest and brightest gathering of law
enforcement officers and for law enforcement officers perhaps
ever. See for yourself on the cover of this issue of NJ Cops and
in the rest of the photos the incomparable Ed Carattini Jr. has
brought on this and the ensuing pages.
An equally insightful perspective also comes from where NJ
State PBA President Pat Colligan stood with other law enforcement dignitaries reading the names of the four NJ cops who
were being remembered at the annual Police Week Candlelight
Vigil. If you see Colligan squinting in the photo of him reading
those names here, it’s probably because he was blinded by the
light coming from the candles the more than 20,000 people in
attendance were holding at the National Mall, where the Vigil
was moved to this year.
“When I started walking toward the Mall, I realized the enormity of it all,” Colligan described. “The sun was starting to set
and shining on the (Washington) Monument. It was incredible.
By the time we got to the stage, we couldn’t see the end of the
masses. It was absolutely a monumental event.”
Colligan admits he wasn’t initially in favor of the Candlelight
Vigil being moved to the National Mall – with the Monument at
one end and the Capitol at the other – from the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial, where it has been held the previous 24 years. But he ultimately construed that having the Vigil
at the Mall not only allowed for double the amount of people to
attend as in previous years, but also turned it into a major event.
That’s how big it has become. That’s how big Police Week has
become. It started with a record number of riders participating
in the Police Unity Tour finishing at the Law Enforcement Memorial where a record number of fans waited to greet them. And
having the Vigil at the Mall – a move made because the Memorial was under construction with the ground breaking for the
National Law Enforcement Museum – also brought out a record
number of media members to cover the ceremony.
“I remember when you would get in a cab and ask to go to the
Law Enforcement Memorial and most cab drivers didn’t even
know where it is,” President Colligan shared. “But there is no
question where the National Mall is. The enormity of it: I was
just overwhelmed with depth of the crowd.”
Enormity and masses and overwhelming seemed to be the
watchwords of Police Week 2016. The most enormous Police
Unity Tour ever celebrated its 20th-anniversary ride with 2,000plus participants who raised $2.3 million, the biggest contribution ever.
Unfortunately, the other first for the Unity Tour was the
first-ever rider to be killed when retired Roxbury Township Of-
Police Week 2016
Exclusive Coverage
• The 20th anniversary of the Police Unity
Tour..................................... Pages 31-36
• Candlelight Vigil
on the Mall.......................... Pages 39-44
• A tribute to Joe Franklin..... Pages 46-47
• Honoring the Top Cops........ Pages 51-52
• A special Pipes and Drums
performance............................... Page 54
POLICE WEEK PHOTOS BY ED CARATTINI JR. AND JOHN HULSE
www.njcopsmagazine.com
■ JUNE 2016 27