May 4, 2026 – The 47th Annual Washington Area Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Service was held today at the Washington, DC Police Memorial.
The memorial Fountain and Wall are dedicated to MPD officers who have died in the line of duty but the Regional Law Enforcement ceremony recognizes all L.O.D. deaths of law enforcement officers in the region.
The following officers were honored (see the official program):
- DC National Guard Sergeant Sarah Diane Beckstrom, killed at age 20
- FBI Supervisory Special Agent Dennis M. Wagner, Jr., died as a result of exposure related to his assignment to the search and recovery efforts at the Flight 93 crash site in Shanksville, PA
- Fairfax County, Virginia Master Patrol Officer Donald Richard Gotthardt, Jr., died as a result of exposure related to assignment to 9/11 search and recovery efforts at the Pentagon
Survivors of four fallen MPD officers were in attendance at the ceremony, representing:
- Paul Dittamo – 2010
- Gerard W. Burke, Jr. – 2006
- Arthur P. Snyder – 1980
- George D. Jones, Jr. – 1973
A variety of local law enforcement leaders and representatives attended the ceremony, including Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and Jeffery Carroll, MPD Interim Police Chief.
The MPD, DC Police Memorial, C.O.P.S., Jerrard F. Young DC State Lodge and Auxiliary hold the regional service each May to honor officers who died in the line of duty in the past year and all our fallen heroes since the creation of the MPD by President Abraham Lincoln.
For more than 80 years, the DC Police Memorial has served as a place of solace and reflection for surviving family members, friends, colleagues and others who have kept their memories alive. In 2023, a Memorial Wall was added with the names inscribed of all MPD officers who have died in the line of duty.
The service is a solemn reminder of their selfless service and sacrifice, and the immeasurable debt of gratitude we owe to officers who have given their life to serve and protect our communities.
The Memorial is located in front of the Daly building, the historic headquarters of the MPD, at 300 Indiana Avenue, NW.
Roll Call of Fallen MPD Heroes since the founding of the MPD
