An East Tennessee deputy, Blount County’s Justin Mowery, is among the 363 law enforcement officers being memorialized this year by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) in Washington, D.C. Deputy Mowery was killed on December 28, 2025, when his cruiser struck a utility pole on Miser Station Road during a pursuit of a motorcyclist.

Dalton Michael Bowman, 24, pleaded guilty on May 1 to charges including evading arrest resulting in the death of a law enforcement officer and is currently serving a 20-year sentence in connection with the incident. Mowery’s name will be engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial alongside other fallen Tennessee officers, bringing the total number of names on the memorial to 24,775.

The NLEOMF is holding a series of commemorative events throughout May, including a National Police K-9 Memorial Service on May 11, the Police Unity Tour on May 12, a candlelight vigil on the National Mall on May 13 where each fallen officer’s name will be read aloud (with a live stream available), and Stand Watch for the Fallen on May 15. The memorial itself remains open to the public 24 hours a day.