National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.)2026 · Date · History · Messages
Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) currently runs National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on January 9; a District of Columbia announcement documents the January 9, 2015 launch with C.O.P.S. and partner organizations, and DOJ later describes the January 9 designation as initiated by C.O.P.S. in 2015. This is a private/organizational appreciation observance, not a statutory federal public holiday.
About National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.)
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.) is a U.S. appreciation observance held on January 9.
Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) organizes the observance and currently calls on the public to mark January 9 with voluntary expressions of appreciation.
Why National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.) matters
The observance was created to provide a designated day for people who choose to recognize law-enforcement service.
It is an organizational appreciation day, not a statutory federal public holiday, and observing it does not require agreement on policing policy or performance.
History of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.)
A District of Columbia announcement from January 2015 said C.O.P.S. and partner organizations would promote National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on January 9, 2015.
The U.S. Department of Justice later described the January 9 designation as initiated by C.O.P.S. in 2015.
C.O.P.S. continues to maintain a L.E.A.D. page calling for annual January 9 participation.
The reviewed evidence supports the 2015 organizational origin and current C.O.P.S. stewardship; it does not establish a federal statute creating a public holiday.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) with partner law-enforcement organizations
The January 2015 DC announcement says C.O.P.S. and partnering organizations would promote the observance; DOJ later says C.O.P.S. initiated the January 9 designation in 2015.
Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.)
C.O.P.S. is the creator-side organization behind the recurring appreciation day.
First documented observance
Contemporaneous District of Columbia material documents the January 9, 2015 launch and DOJ later identifies 2015 as the initiation year.
Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.)
C.O.P.S. currently maintains the L.E.A.D. page and annual January 9 call to action.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
5 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
National Law Enforcement Day
How to Observe National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.)
If you choose to participate, send a general thank-you card or other nonpartisan note of appreciation through an agency’s public contact channel.
Learn about publicly documented community-safety, victim-support or memorial programs without sharing restricted operational information.
Keep photos, names and stories privacy-respecting; do not publish home addresses, private schedules, security procedures or other sensitive personal/operational details.
Participation should be voluntary and should not pressure anyone to interact with officers or express a view on policing policy.
For donations or organized events, use the current official organization/agency page and verify the recipient before sending money or personal information.
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.) Facts
L.E.A.D. is observed on January 9.
C.O.P.S. is the creator-side organization associated with the 2015 launch and current annual observance.
A contemporaneous District of Columbia announcement documented the January 9, 2015 promotion with C.O.P.S. and partner organizations.
DOJ later described the January 9 designation as initiated by C.O.P.S. in 2015.
The reviewed evidence does not make L.E.A.D. a statutory federal public holiday.
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.) Messages
Wishing a respectful National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day to those choosing to recognize public service on January 9.
A simple thank-you can be shared without turning appreciation into a political argument.
May today’s appreciation be thoughtful, voluntary and respectful of everyone’s privacy and boundaries.
On L.E.A.D., keep support respectful, nonpartisan and mindful of personal and operational privacy.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Legal Financial Information Boundary.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
District of Columbia — January 9, 2015 National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day announcement (opens in a new tab)
Contemporaneous Government Corroboration
U.S. Department of Justice — Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, 2021 (opens in a new tab)
Federal Agency Corroboration
Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) — National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.) (opens in a new tab)
Creator Current First Party
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.)?
9 January The documented recurrence rule is: 9 January.
Does National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.) fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.) an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United States / law-enforcement appreciation observance associated with Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.). That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.)?
The reviewed sources identify Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) with partner law-enforcement organizations. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.).
Is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.) international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: United States / law-enforcement appreciation observance associated with Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.).
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-24.
When is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day?
January 9 each year.
Who started L.E.A.D.?
The reviewed first-party and government evidence supports Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) and partner organizations as the creator-side group behind the 2015 launch.
Was the first L.E.A.D. in 2015?
Contemporaneous government material documents the January 9, 2015 launch, and DOJ later says C.O.P.S. initiated the designation in 2015.
Is L.E.A.D. a federal public holiday?
No statutory federal public-holiday status is established in the reviewed evidence; it is an organizational appreciation observance.
How can I participate without making it political?
Keep participation voluntary and focused on simple appreciation or factual community information, without using the day to pressure others about policing policy or performance.
Other observances on January 9
These observances are also listed on January 9, 2027.
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