FLEOA marks 25 years since 9/11 with memorial ceremony in Washington

The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association is joining partners on Sept. 11, 2026, for a 9/11 Fallen Hero Ceremony at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. The event will honor 668 fallen heroes and call on the public to remember law enforcement officers, first responders and civilians lost in the attacks and their aftermath.

Why it matters: - The 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 is a major moment of remembrance for the law enforcement community. - The ceremony is designed to honor 668 fallen 9/11 heroes and reinforce the lasting impact of the attacks on officers, first responders and their families. - The commemoration also raises money for nonprofit groups that support the law enforcement community and families of fallen officers.

What happened: - The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association is joining the F.L.E.O. Foundation and Police Unity Tour in asking Americans to honor those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. - The groups will host a 9/11 Fallen Hero Ceremony at 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. - The ceremony marks 25 years since what the release calls the deadliest terrorist attack in American history. - Organizers invited law enforcement officers, their families, supporters and members of the public to attend rain or shine. - The memorial is on the 400 block of E Street NW between 4th and 5th Streets NW at Judiciary Square.

The details: - The ceremony will include a roll call of the names of 668 fallen 9/11 heroes. - FLEOA National President Mathew Silverman said the courage and sacrifice of Sept. 11 remain etched into the nation’s history and the law enforcement community. - Silverman said the sacrifice of officers, first responders and families should be remembered not only on this anniversary but by future generations. - Relentless Defender designed a special 9/11 memorial shirt for the commemoration. - Thirty percent of proceeds from each shirt sold will go to the F.L.E.O. Foundation and Police Unity Tour. - The two organizations are nonprofit charitable groups focused on supporting the law enforcement community and honoring those who died in the line of duty. - FLEOA said the commemoration is also a reminder that “Never Forget” is a promise, not just a slogan. - Silverman said the ceremony honors those who ran toward danger, those who kept serving afterward and those whose lives were later claimed by the lasting consequences of Sept. 11. - FLEOA encouraged members and supporters nationwide to attend in person or take time on Sept. 11 to remember the fallen and the courage shown by law enforcement officers, firefighters, first responders and citizens.

Between the lines: - The event ties remembrance to active support for law enforcement charities, which turns a memorial into a fundraiser as well as a ceremony. - The focus on 668 names and a public roll call underscores the effort to make the anniversary personal rather than symbolic. - FLEOA’s framing keeps Sept. 11 centered on service, sacrifice and institutional memory within the federal law enforcement community.

What's next: - The ceremony is set for Sept. 11 at 4 p.m. in Washington. - Supporters can attend in person or mark the anniversary privately. - More information is available through FLEOA’s Facebook page.

The bottom line: - Twenty-five years later, FLEOA is using the anniversary of Sept. 11 to honor fallen heroes, support the law enforcement community and keep the memory of that day visible to the public.