The week of May 15th is known as National Police Week.

Today, the 18th annual Upper Peninsula Peace Officer Memorial Service was held to pay tribute to the men and women of the thin blue line who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Friends and family members, along with law enforcement agencies from the U.P. and parts of Wisconsin and Canada, paid tribute to the fallen officers.

The ceremony is a reminder of what is at stake every time an officer puts on the uniform.

“It’s very humbling for all of us in law enforcement to be a part of this day,” Dickinson County Sheriff Scott Celello said. “It makes us stop and remember those who came before us and gave the ultimate sacrifice for their job.”

“This is extremely important, not only for law enforcement, but we do have family members here who have loved ones who have been killed in the line of duty,” Michigan State Police Lt. Christine Grabowski from the Iron Mountain Post said. “It’s important for them to have their family members remembered every year, that they gave the ultimate sacrifice.”

This year, 73 officers were recognized for their sacrifice.

There was a special tribute to Houghton County Sheriff’s Deputy James Pollock.

He was 33 years old when he was killed in the line of duty in 1913.