U.S. Attorney Honors Fallen Officers in National Police Week

Tampa, FL — Five officers from the Middle District of Florida are among the 106 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2018, their names now etched into the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial during the 31st Annual Candlelight Vigil on May 13, 2019. The grim tally underscores the lethal risks officers face daily, as federal, state, and local agencies mark National Police Week with public memorials and tributes across the region.

U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez issued a statement honoring the sacrifice of Deputy Sheriff Kevin James Stanton of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, Officer Lance Christian Whitaker of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Officer Thomas Coulter of the Daytona Beach Police Department, Officer Adam Edward Jobbers-Miller of the Fort Myers Police Department, and Deputy Sheriff Benjamin LeMont Zirbel of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Each died in the line of duty, their deaths recorded in the FBI’s annual Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report released this week.

National Police Week, observed from May 12 to May 18, 2019, was established by congressional resolution in October 1962, designating May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day. Since then, the week has served as a solemn tribute to those injured or killed while enforcing the law. In Florida’s Middle District—home to over 160 law enforcement agencies—the week includes memorial services, media campaigns, and community outreach to bridge gaps between police and the public.

“The Middle District of Florida joins the entire nation in saluting police officers throughout the country for their hard work, dedication, and sacrifice in keeping our communities safe,” stated U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “We appreciate the tenacity and commitment of our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners who often place themselves in harm’s way to protect us, daily. They have our unwavering support.”

The FBI report details the circumstances of each fatal incident, compiling narratives and data tables that reveal the volatile nature of police work—from ambushes to traffic-related fatalities. Nationally, 106 officers lost their lives in 2018, a number that fuels ongoing debates about officer safety, training, and community policing strategies in high-risk areas like Florida’s urban corridors.

The names of all fallen officers were formally dedicated during the Candlelight Vigil in Washington, DC. Open to the public with no ticket required, the ceremony is the centerpiece of National Police Week events. For more information, visit www.policeweek.org or call 202-737-3400.

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