In honor of National Police Week, and National Peace Officers’ Memorial Day, the State of Kansas will be holding its annual Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony in Topeka on Friday, May 1.

According to the Kansas Highway patrol, a candlelight vigil will take place on Thursday, April 30. The public is encouraged to attend the memorial events.

The annual Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial Candlelight Vigil, sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Police, Topeka Lodge #3, will be on Thursday, April 30 in the First Floor Rotunda of the Statehouse. A candle lighting ceremony will follow at the Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial monument, which is located on the northeast corner of the Statehouse grounds. The vigil will begin at 8:00 p.m.

The annual Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 1 at the Statehouse, Second Floor Rotunda, at 12:00 p.m., with a wreath-laying ceremony to follow at the Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial monument.

Fours names have been added to the Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial this year:

• Undersheriff Brandon Pierce Gaede, Phillips County Sheriff’s Office, End of Watch: June 27, 2025
  Brandon Pierce Gaede, age 30, began his career in law enforcement in 2013 as a jailer at the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office. In June 2017, he went to work as a Sheriff’s Deputy in Phillips County. On June 27, 2025, Phillips County Sheriff’s Office received multiple calls throughout the evening of reported explosions or loud booms, all in the same area. At 9:18pm, the Sheriff’s Office received another report of an explosion from the same area. Undersheriff Gaede, still in the area, observed smoke and made contact with a subject standing in the front yard of a residence. The subject admitted to setting off the explosive device. While Undersheriff Gaede attempted to make an arrest, the suspect drew a concealed revolver from his waistband and fired five rounds, critically wounding Undersheriff Gaede. Undersheriff Gaede was transported to a local hospital, where he passed away shortly after arrival. Undersheriff Gaede is survived by his wife Karley, children, Axel, Otto, Emilie, and his father Eric, mother Angie, and numerous other loving family members.

• Deputy Elijah La’Mose Ming,  Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office, End of Watch: July 26, 2025
  Elijah La’Mose Ming, age 34, pursued a career in law enforcement with Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office in 2016. On July 26, 2025, Deputy Ming responded to a residence in the south end of Kansas City, Kansas for a civil standby. As Deputy Ming and his partner approached the house, shots were fired from inside the residence. Deputy Ming was struck in the chest by gunfire and was pronounced deceased at a local hospital. Deputy Ming is survived by his wife Tiara, son Elijah, father Mark, and many loving family members.

• Officer  Kansas City, Kansas Police Department, End of Watch: August 26, 2025
  Hunter Lee Simoncic, age 26, began his career in law enforcement with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department (KCKPD) in 2023. In the early morning hours of August 26, 2025, KCKPD officers were dispatched to a report of shots fired. Responding officers discovered an occupied vehicle where the driver appeared asleep at the wheel with a handgun present in the front seat. The driver woke and immediately fled the scene. During the pursuit, Officer Simoncic and others deployed stop-sticks, hoping to end the pursuit. While out of his patrol car, preparing to deploy the device, the suspect drove his vehicle over a median and intentionally struck Officer Simoncic. Officer Simoncic was transported to the emergency department, where he was pronounced deceased due to multiple blunt traumatic injuries of the head and torso. Officer Simoncic is survived by his father Ron Simoncic, mother Christine Brungardt, brother Fischer, as well as many loved ones.

• Sergeant Scott William Heimann, Hays Police Department, End of Watch: September 28, 2025
  Scott William Heimann, age 32, began his career with the Hays Police Department in 2016. During the late evening hours of Saturday, September 27, 2025, Sergeant Heimann responded to a call for assistance with a barricaded subject as a member of the Hays Police Department Special Situation Response Team. Sergeant Heimann positioned his Immediate Reaction Team to the back alley of the residence. Shortly thereafter, at 1:56 AM, the subject fired a single round from within the residence, striking Sergeant Heimann. A Special Situation Response Team Tactical Medic immediately moved Sergeant Heimann and began rendering life-saving medical aid. Sergeant Heimann was transported by law enforcement to an area hospital, and air transport by Eagle Medical Air was ordered. At 4:03 AM, Sergeant Heimann was pronounced deceased by medical doctors at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Sergeant Heimann is survived by his wife Beth, daughter Victoria, son Patrick, parents Bill and Teresa Heimann, and numerous other loving family members.

In honor of National Police Week and National Peace Officers’ Memorial Day, the Kansas Highway Patrol joins COPS (Concerns of Police Survivors) to encourage participation in Project Blue Light. COPS is a national non-profit organization for the families of officers lost in the line of duty. As part of Project Blue Light, the Patrol is encouraging the public to place a single blue light in a window of their home or change the porch lights to blue as a reminder of the many officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. This also honors those officers who are working every day, putting their lives on the line to protect Kansans.

In 2025, 111 officers died in the line of duty in the U.S., according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. As of April 14, 2026, 30 officers have died in the line of duty, in the U.S.