KC Reporter

Governor Mike Parson has ordered the Missouri State Capitol dome and Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial to be lit blue in honor of Missouri's fallen law enforcement officers. The lighting will take place from sunset on Friday, May 3, 2024, until sunrise on Saturday, May 4, 2024.

“We owe a tremendous debt to the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice while enforcing the law and answering the call to service,” Governor Parson stated. “Each year, we hold these ceremonies to remember and honor those who lost their lives in service to our state. We are proud to light the Capitol Dome and Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial blue, as we stand alongside the families and colleagues of our fallen heroes to express our gratitude for their selfless service to our state."

The annual ceremonies honoring fallen Missouri law enforcement officers will be held at the Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial on the grounds of the Capitol overlooking the Missouri River. The 2024 Candlelight Vigil is scheduled for May 3 at 8 p.m., followed by the Memorial Service at 10 a.m. on May 4.

Director Sandy Karsten of the Missouri Department of Public Safety emphasized the importance of remembering the fallen officers, stating, “Each year, as we honor our fallen comrades, they and their heroic deeds are indelibly connected to the more than 700 officers whose names have already been enshrined on the Law Enforcement Memorial’s Wall of Honor. Their service is now part of Missouri’s law enforcement legacy of valor and selfless service that extends back to 1836.”

In preparation for this year's ceremonies, the names of three law enforcement and corrections officers who died in the line of duty in 2023 and one officer who died in 2021 have been added to the memorial’s Wall of Honor.