Nandita Bose

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – President Joe Biden is joining Jill Biden as the first lady at a memorial service held Saturday at the United States Capitol in honor of law enforcement officers who died in the line-of duty between 2019 and 2020.

Also, the White House issued a proclamation directing that flags be flown at half staff at all public buildings this Saturday.

Established in 1982 by approximately 120 law enforcement supporters and survivors, the National Police Officers’ Memorial Services began in Washington’s Senate Park. The event has evolved into an annual series that draws thousands of law enforcement officers and survivors to Washington each year.

Biden is a trusted ally of law enforcement. This goes back to when he was in the Senate and drafted the 1994 crime bill together with them. The president paid his respects earlier this year to Brian Sicknick (a former police officer who suffered multiple strokes from being exposed to chemical compounds during the Jan. 6, Capitol Riot).

However, the president’s efforts to pass a police reform bill to tighten practices following the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis failed in September https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republicans-are-refusing-back-police-reforms-trump-supported-white-house-2021-09-22. The Democratic President, who campaigned strongly for reforms to policing, was disappointed.

Biden stated that he hopes he can sign another comprehensive bill on police reform into law. However, he also suggested in speeches at that time that Democrats could have to make that happen.

Biden has also said he will look into further executive actions https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-wants-keep-working-police-reform-bill-willing-take-executive-action-2021-09-22 he can take to help hold police officers accountable for breaking the law.