34th Annual COG Wreath Laying Ceremony and Honor Guard Competition

Saturday, May 2, 2026
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
E street, Between 4th and 5th Streets NW
Washington, DC 20001

Contact: Bezayet Nadew
bnadew@mwcog.org
(202)962-3304

WLC2026_Webpage_Pic

Photo Credit: Anthony Depanise, MD DPSCS

This annual ceremony highlights the critically important role of corrections and honors corrections officers across the nation who died in the line of duty in the past year and all those who have fallen in the line of duty from local agencies.

Names of the 2026 fallen correctional staff will be posted in March 2026. To submit a fallen officer, please visit the National Law Enforcement Memorial website linked here. According to the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Fund, the Officer Data Form must be submitted by December 31 to be considered for inclusion on the Memorial for the following year during National Police Week in May. 

Honor guard teams who would like participate in the 34th Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony and Honor Guard Competition are asked to submit their interest via this link by February 6, 2026.

Fallen Correctional Staff Across the United States
honored in May 2025
Full Name Department End of Watch
Andrew S Lansing  Ohio Dept. of Rehabilitation & Correction 12/25/2024
Isaiah P Bias  Ellis County, Texas, S.O. 12/16/2024
Bradford D Mcnew  Jacksonville, Florida, S.O. 10/12/2024
Michelle L Quintero  Madison County, North Carolina S.O. 9/27/2024
Rafael D Wordlaw  Cook County, Illinois, Dept. of Corrections 7/30/2024
Hunter S Miller  Kentucky Department of Corrections 7/25/2024
Robert W Sumner  Oklahoma Department of Corrections 7/14/2024
Corey P Proulx  Wisconsin Department of Corrections 6/25/2024
Davis G Martinez  Maryland Dept of Public Safety & Correctional Services 5/31/2024
William A Elliott  North Carolina Dept. of Adult Correction 4/29/2024
Samuel A Poloche  North Carolina Dept. of Adult Correction 4/29/2024
Rodney J Osborne  Ohio Dept. of Rehabilitation & Correction 4/9/2024
Andrew J Faught  Illinois Department of Corrections 4/8/2024
Russell E L Jones  Pamlico County, North Carolina, S.D. 12/6/2023
Christine Guerin-Sandoval  Colorado Department of Corrections 9/28/2023
Ryan M Santana  Riverside County Probation Dept., California 12/23/2021
David Wayne Reynolds  Butler County, Ohio, S.O. 9/30/2021
Justin D Joslyn  Federal Bureau of Prisons 9/11/2021
Erick J Whitaker  New Jersey Department of Corrections 12/4/2020
Leslie L Graves II Perryton, Texas, P.D. 12/3/2020
Earl R Barksdale  Virginia Department of Corrections 9/9/2020
Joel A Legaspi  Virginia Department of Corrections 1/21/2018


Fallen staff are added to the list below after they are honored in May to ensure their legacy is remembered and celebrated annually by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Corrections Chiefs Committee.

Fallen Correctional Staff in DC, MD, and VA
Since 2002
Carolyn A. Cross District of Columbia Department of Corrections 9/7/2014
Bucky Burk District of Columbia Department of Corrections 9/18/2007
Sidney Smith District of Columbia Department of Corrections 2/1/2007
David W. McGuinn Maryland State Division of Corrections 7/25/2006
William Burns District of Columbia Department of Corrections 4/18/2006
Jeffery A. Wroten Maryland State Division of Corrections 1/27/2006
James “Bo” Weaver Dinwiddie County Sheriff’s Office 6/27/2005
Gregory Guy Collins Maryland State Division of Corrections 6/4/2001
Amos Williams District of Columbia Department of Corrections 12/31/1996
Charlie Barton Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office 8/22/1995
Ronald Richardson District of Columbia Department of Corrections 10/7/1991
Herman L. Toulson Jr. Maryland State Division of Corrections 10/6/1984
William G. Truesdale Alexandria Adult Detention Center 1/27/1981
Ronald Barnes Virginia State Department of Corrections 3/16/1975
Michael R. Kirby District of Columbia Department of Correction 11/30/1973
Raul M. Monte Virginia State Department of Corrections 11/22/1971
Samuel L. Pickels Virginia State Department of Corrections 7/23/1971
James C. Vanneter Virginia State Department of Corrections 1/18/1965
Hugh L. Johnson Virginia State Department of Corrections 1/18/1965
Hilton E. Bland Virginia State Department of Corrections 9/8/1963
Michael G. Hughes District of Columbia Department of Corrections 2/13/1958
M.C. Taylor Virginia State Department of Corrections 12/24/1957
Rudolph F. Guillen Jr. Virginia State Department of Corrections 6/18/1942


The nearest airport to our event site is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, less than 20 minutes away. Below, you will find a list of nearby accommodations for your convenience:

Fairfield Inn & Suites Washington, DC/Downtown
500 H St NW
Washington, DC 20001 
202-289-5959

Hilton Washington DC Capitol Hill
525 New Jersey Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-628-2100

Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C., 20001
202-737-1234