The Wheeling Police Department will honor and remember local, regional, and national law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice at its ninth annual Law Enforcement Memorial on Wednesday, May 18, 2022.

The event is set for 6 p.m. at Wheeling’s Heritage Port, with a rain location inside WesBanco Arena.

Chad Napier, state coordinator for Appalachia HIDTA will serve as this year’s keynote speaker with remarks from city officials and Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger. WPD’s honor guard also will take part in a ceremonial wreath laying and 21-gun salute to remember the fallen.

Musical selections will be provided by Commander Ricky Manning with the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office. Cmdr. Manning is known as the “singing detective” and has performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Great American Brass Band Festival and with the Pittsburgh Irish Festival.

The event coincides with National Police Week, which includes the date of May 15, or “National Peace Officer Memorial Day” – a time set aside to pay tribute to the local, state, and federal peace officers who have died, or who have been disabled, in the line of duty. 

Nine Wheeling Police officers have died in the line of duty since the department was formed more than 216 years ago. Last year, 458 officers lost their lives in the line of duty in the United States. It was one of the deadliest years for law enforcement officers, mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.