Medal of Honor ceremony for injured or fallen law enforcement officers

Atty General Nick Brown, 4th from left; Gov Bob Ferguson, 2nd from right
at the Medal of Honor Ceremony

Law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to keep communities safe. At a ceremony including Gov. Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown, the names of seven fallen officers were added to the WA State Law Enforcement Memorial and 18 officers were awarded the state's Medal of Honor for their bravery.

The ceremony was held on May 2, 2025 at the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial in Olympia, Washington.

Attorney General Nick Brown said "I was moved by the annual Medal of Honor ceremony recognizing the bravery and courage of injured or fallen law enforcement officers. The ceremony reminds us why we stand for the rule of law and honor the sacrifice law enforcement officers and their families make."

Law Enforcement Memorial in Olympia WA
Behind the Badge Foundation

The names of the fallen included Everett police officer Daniel Rocha. His story comes from the City of Everett Line of Duty page.

"On the afternoon of March 25, 2022, Officer Dan Rocha went to his favorite local coffee shop at 1010 North Broadway Ave in Everett.

"This was his coffee shop; he knew the partners beyond just their names, knowing their lives, sharing in their successes, and was part of their store family. In return, they knew Dan’s go-to order, his smile, and how he was always his authentic self.

"As he was getting his coffee that day, he noticed a suspicious figure moving guns between cars in the parking lot. He did the right thing and contacted the individual. During this contact, the situation quickly escalated, and Dan was tragically shot and killed.

"Officers quickly responded to help and, after a short pursuit, took the involved individual into custody."

His killer was sentenced to life in prison without parole.