Clear Channel Outdoor & iHeartMedia Join the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) for Second Annual National Police Week Tribute to Law Enforcement Heroes
NYPD Commissioner Bratton, NY City Council Members and NYPD Families Join in Solidarity in Times Square to Honor Fallen Peace Officers
New York, NY - May 6, 2015 - The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement and making it safer for those who serve, and its media partners Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (NYSE: CCO), one of the world’s largest outdoor advertising companies, and iHeartMedia, Inc., the media and entertainment company with the largest reach of any radio or TV outlet in America, today announced their second annual partnership to honor fallen law enforcement officers whose names will be dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in conjunction with National Police Week, May 10-16, 2015.
Against the backdrop of one of the company’s full-motion digital billboards along Broadway in Times Square, the companies launched their second annual Police Week salute with a special tribute to fallen officers in a press conference hosted by NLEOMF Chairman and CEO Craig Floyd, who was joined by NYPD Commissioner William J. Bratton, New York City Council Members Mark Treyger and Donovan Richards, and families of the NYPD law enforcement officers who are being honored by the memorial fund this year.
During the press conference, Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (CCOA) displayed individual creative for each of the *273 law enforcement officers whose names are being dedicated on the Memorial walls this year, 117 of whom were killed in the line of duty in 2014. Each officer’s individual profile features the fallen officer’s photo (if available), agency and end of watch date.
iHeartMedia Inc.’s campaign begins today and runs through Police Week. Following today’s press conference, the Times Square officer tributes will unfurl in a national digital out-of-home memorial for four days on the company’s more than 1,100 large format digital billboards and digital bus shelters across 37 of the top U.S. markets and specifically in the communities where they served. Additionally, over 7,000 public service advertisements (PSAs) will air across iHeartMedia’s 858 radio stations to pay tribute to officers who lost their lives. The spots encourage public participation during the designated week of remembrance and drive listeners to LawMemorial.org where they can light a virtual candle, donate or simply learn about the heroic acts of these brave men and women.
As part of the campaign to honor all 20,538 of the American law enforcement officers added to the memorial since its inception, CCOA is running creative that encourages the public to donate to the Memorial Fund’s United by Light program and dedicate a virtual candle with a personalized message in honor of a special officer. Altogether, it is estimated that the ten day outdoor and radio campaign will generate nearly 100M impressions.
In addition, at 8 p.m. ET on May 13, during the annual Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., all of CCOA’s nearly 1,200 digital billboards across the U.S. will pause for 2 minutes on a single iconic image in remembrance of the 273 U.S. law enforcement officers whose names are being formally dedicated on the Memorial. In New York, CCOA’s full-motion digital billboards in Times Square (47th St. and Broadway), Penn Plaza (7th Ave. and 34th St.) and the Port Authority (8th Ave. and 42nd St.) will simultaneously display a two-minute video of the Candlelight Vigil while inviting passersby to pause, honor and remember.
“I am proud to be part of this important tribute to honor the brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the communities they served,” said William J Bratton, Police Commissioner of the City of New York. “I particularly want to acknowledge those officers from our New York City community who are being honored this year, including Dennis E Guerra, WenJian Liu, Rafael L Ramos, Michael C Williams, and Thomas K Choi. This campaign reflects the integrity, dignity, and pride these Americans displayed every day.”
“At iHeartMedia & Clear Channel Outdoor Americas, we believe in using the power of all of our assets in the service of giving back, and in assisting the organizations and individuals that help our neighbors and our communities,” said Richard Bressler, President, COO and CFO, iHeartMedia, Inc. “We are honored to be part of National Police Week, and over the coming days we will use our spectrum of multiplatform assets to honor the hundreds of officers who tragically lost their lives in the line of duty.”
“We are once again honored to partner with the Memorial Fund to pay tribute to our fallen heroes,” said Scott Wells, CEO, CCOA. “Police Week is an important reminder to acknowledge those officers who lost their lives in the line of duty and to thank those who continue to serve. We are pleased to be able to support this important occasion with our national remembrance across our CCOA digital network as well as iHeartMedia.”
National Police Week was established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962 and pays special recognition to those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others.
On average, one law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty somewhere in the U.S. every 60 hours. Since the first known line-of-duty death in 1791, more than 20,000 U.S. law enforcement officers have lost their lives in service. With the dedication of 273 names this year, the Memorial now bears witness to 20,538 fallen officers.
“Our partnership with iHeartMedia, Inc. has enabled Americans across the country to pay meaningful tribute to our fallen officers,” said Craig W. Floyd, Chairman & CEO of the Memorial Fund. “Last year’s digital out-of-home and radio tribute struck a strong chord with communities and we are grateful to Clear Channel Outdoor Americas and iHeartMedia for their continued support of the Memorial Fund’s mission. This campaign provides people an opportunity to thank our officers for their dedication and unlimited strength and we are humbled by their families’ continued support as well.”
*More than immediate prior year line of duty deaths are verified annually by the NLEOMF.
About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund:
Founded in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a private non-profit [501(c)(3)] organization dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement and making it safer for those who serve. The Memorial Fund maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, which contains the names of 20,538 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The Memorial Fund is now working to create the first-ever National Law Enforcement Museum, which will tell the story of American law enforcement through high-tech, interactive exhibits, collections, research, and education. For more information, visit LawMemorial.org.