After 'very trying two years' for law enforcement, Aquidneck Island Police Parade returns
NEWPORT — After a “very trying two years for the law enforcement community,” the Aquidneck Island National Police Parade will return May 1, according to a recent Facebook post from the parade committee.
“ ... we felt now was the right time to honor these men and women who served honorably for the past two years, they endured public distrust, the call for defunding, and a pandemic, all without wavering from our common goal, to protect and to serve,” the Facebook post says.
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The COVID-19 pandemic was cited as the reason for the parade’s cancellation the past two years.
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The parade — which involves participation from various departments — honors law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty the year prior. This year’s parade will make up for time lost by honoring the 139 officers who died in 2019, the 295 in 2020 and “an astonishing” 458 in 2021, according to the parade committee’s Facebook post.
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The 2021 figure is the largest number since 1930, when 312 officers died in the line of duty, according to data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
“COVID-19 related fatalities continue to be the single highest cause of law enforcement deaths occurring in 2021,” according to a report by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
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Preliminary data show that some 301 officer deaths were caused by COVID-19 in 2021. That year, 58 officers died due to traffic-related causes, such as “struck-by” incidents and vehicle collisions, which is an increase of 38% compared to 42 deaths in 2020.
In 2021, 84 officers died from felonious assaults, including 61 officers who were killed by firearms.
“The 61 officers killed feloniously by firearms represents a 36% increase over the 45 officers killed feloniously by firearms in 2020,” the report says. “The leading circumstance of firearms fatalities were officers killed in ambush-style attacks. A total of 19 officers were killed in ambush attacks in 2021, a significant increase over only 6 such attacks in 2020.”
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The parade is slated for May 1 at 11:50 a.m.
The committee, Newport Police Lt. Corey Huck said, is still in the planning stages. The request to hold the parade will go before the Newport City Council on March 23.
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Aquidneck Island National Police Parade to return after two years
