The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) and Clear Channel Outdoor (CCO) announced their second annual partnership to honor fallen law enforcement officers whose names will be inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in conjunction with National Police Week, May 10-16, 2015. To help memorialize and honor those who have fallen, CCO has donated space on its digital billboards throughout the nation, including signs in the Los Angeles area, which will display commemorative images honoring Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers who fell in the line of duty in 2014.
“We each owe immense gratitude to the brave men and women in uniform who risk their lives every day to keep our communities and neighborhoods safe,” said Councilmember Mitchell Englander, Chair of the Public Safety Committee and Reserve LAPD Officer. “These public service announcements remind Angelenos to take a moment to remember our heroes who paid the ultimate price for the safety of our City and to thank those who serve, not only during National Police Week but all year long.”
The United States has experienced a tragically high number of police deaths in the past year, and California has borne the highest number of fatalities in 2014, with 14 officers falling in the line of duty. In Southern California, Officers Nicholas Lee of the LAPD, Christopher Cortijo of the LAPD, and Roberto Sanchez of the LAPD, are being remembered on billboards throughout the region. The three local officers who fell in the line of duty during 2014 will be honored as they are added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial this year.
“These tragic losses serve as a reminder to us all of the dangers law enforcement officers face while protecting our neighborhoods,” said Layne Lawson, director of public affairs for Clear Channel Outdoor. “Clear Channel Outdoor is proud to memorialize these officers on our billboards throughout Los Angeles, and we hope these messages will remind Angelenos to take time out of their days to give thanks for their courage.”
These locally-focused billboards are part of a larger national effort to salute fallen officers. CCO and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund have again partnered to launch a nationwide billboard campaign that acknowledges the service and sacrifice of our country’s bravest, whose names will be inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. The campaign leads up to the National Police Week Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C. on May 13, when CCO’s nearly 1,200 digital billboards will pause for two minutes on a single iconic image in remembrance of the 273 U.S. law enforcement officers whose names are being formally dedicated on the memorial.
CCO regularly donates space on its digital and traditional signs in Southern California and throughout the nation to display public safety and public awareness messages. Last month, CCO partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey to promote earthquake preparedness in the tremor-prone SoCal region, in addition to an ongoing partnership with the Southern California Water Committee to encourage conservation during California’s epic drought. Clear Channel’s digital billboards also played an important role in the search for cop killer Christopher Dorner, helping bring an end to his deadly rampage by engaging the community in the manhunt.
The unique ability of digital signs to reach a wide audience while displaying messages in real-time allows them to act as valuable community resources, especially for law enforcement and public safety agencies, which have come to depend on this powerful new tool. The F.B.I., Los Angeles Police Department and numerous other public safety agencies use digital signs to display important and time-sensitive information critical to the continued safety of local communities.
