Kansas Establishes Annual Law Enforcement Memorial Day

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed an executive order establishing an annual Kansas Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial Day on the first Friday of May, with the first observance in 2027. The day will honor officers who died in the line of duty, encourage ceremonies and other activities statewide, and include flying flags at half-staff. Kelly also remembered four Kansas officers whose deaths were recognized at the state’s 2026 memorial ceremony. Law enforcement officials emphasized that the observance should honor not only fallen officers but also the families and communities affected by their loss.