Law enforcement officers are honored this week during National Police Week. This Friday is May 15th, the annual Peace Officers Memorial Day, a day to honor officers who have died in the line of duty. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 89 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2019. Of those, 48 officers died as a result of felonious acts, eight fewer than in 2018.

Washington Mayor Jaron Rosien thanks local officers for their service, “I’m always thankful for the work our officers are doing, but especially now in these times of uncertainty where they have to really adapt to do the best job under circumstances that have been changing and different than any of us have ever experienced before. It’s impressive and I appreciate their ability to change as they’ve needed to.”

The Washington Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office each had one officer killed in the line of duty on June 25, 1930. Marshal Aaron Bailey, 54, of the Washington Police Department and Sheriff William Fred Sweet, 59, were shot after arresting a man for stealing a car in Ottumwa. They took the driver to the county courthouse and while being searched, the suspect pulled out a revolver and opened fire. Bailey was shot twice and Sweet three times. Gunshots were exchanged and the suspect fled the scene. He was at-large for four years, and in 1934 the suspect was shot and killed by members of the Chicago Police Department. He was suspected to be responsible for several other murders.

Washington is also the hometown of FBI Special Agent Terry Anderson who died in the line of duty in 1966. He was killed while rescuing a kidnapped 17-year-old girl in Pennsylvania. Peggy Ann Bradnick was rescued after being held captive for seven days in the Shade Gap Incident.