Grand Forks Defenders take part in Police Week activities Published May 16, 2013 By Staff Sgt. Amanda Grabiec 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Security Forces Airmen from Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., participated in the 3rd Annual Northern Valley Police Week Memorial Service to kick off Peace Officers' Memorial Day and Police Week at the Grand Forks Courthouse on May 14, 2013. President John F. Kennedy signed the proclamation designating May 15 as Peace Officers' Memorial Day in 1962. It was later expanded to become National Police Week. Names of 120 officers killed in the line of duty will be added to the Law Enforcement Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. "Bound together by the men and women in uniform that made the ultimate sacrifice ... we are here to honor your call of duty," said North Dakota Lt. Governor Drew Wrigley. "We all serve in different uniforms and different counties, but at the heart, we are all cops," said Chief Patrol Agent Austin L. Skero II, U.S. Border Patrol. Security Forces Airmen joined with 12 other law enforcement agencies from the local area to pay tribute to those fallen officers and to conduct a flag-folding ceremony. "This event is important to me because it's about showing appreciation," said Senior Airman Kaleea Benjamin, 319th Security Forces Squadron. "When people see cops out in the field doing what we do, it's about knowing that we do this for you and the community." For more information on Police Week, visit policeweek.org