Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (January 9): How to Thank Officers the Right Way

Last reviewed: October 3, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. Gift and ethics rules differ by agency and state; when in doubt, ask the department what it allows.

If a police officer, deputy or trooper once helped you through a bad day, Law Enforcement Appreciation Day is a nice moment to say so. A little knowledge about ethics rules helps your thanks land well and keeps the officer out of an awkward spot.

Short answer: National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.) is January 9 in the United States. It isn't a federal holiday; it's a grassroots day started by Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.). The best ways to show thanks are free: a card, a kind word, or a formal commendation to the officer's department. Gifts are trickier, because many public employees are restricted in what they can accept.

Where January 9 comes from

In 2015, Concerns of Police Survivors, a national organization that supports the families and co-workers of officers who died in the line of duty, joined with partner organizations to promote a national day of appreciation for law enforcement on January 9. A Metropolitan Police Department release from Washington, DC, announced that first L.E.A.D. day that January. C.O.P.S. now calls on people each year to support officers on January 9.

It's different from Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15, which federal law (36 U.S.C. § 136) sets aside to honor federal, state and local officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.

Simple ways to say thanks

C.O.P.S. suggests ideas like these:

• Wear blue on January 9.
• Send a card to your local police department or state agency. C.O.P.S. also suggests asking children to write letters of support.
• Share a positive story about an officer on social media.
• Display a blue light at home (Project Blue Light).
• Organize or join a blood drive.
• If you see an officer, thank them.

Gifts: why officers may say no

It can feel awkward when an officer turns down a free coffee or lunch, but they're usually following the rules, not being rude. Ethics rules exist so that the public can trust that officers treat everyone the same, whoever bought them a meal.

• Department policies may ban or limit gratuities, even small ones.
• State ethics laws on gifts to public employees differ from state to state.
• Federal agents fall under the federal gift rules above.

If you want to give something, these are usually safe:

• A card or letter, addressed to the department.
• Food for the whole station, but only if the department says it accepts it. Call first and ask.
• A donation to a charity that supports officers or their families, rather than a gift to an individual.

How to file a commendation

A formal commendation is the most useful thanks you can give. It goes on paper to the department, so the officer's supervisors hear about it, not just the officer. Many departments make it easy:

1. Find the form. Search your department's website for "commendation" or "commend an officer". Many towns, such as Trumbull, Connecticut, post a form you can email, mail or hand in.
2. Include the details: date, time and place; the officer's name or badge number if you know it (a patrol car number or case number also helps); and what they did and how it helped you.
3. Address it to the chief or sheriff if there's no form.
4. Keep it specific. "Officer X stayed with my elderly father for an hour until I arrived" means far more than "great job".

If you'd like to learn about lesser-known roles in policing, see our guide to what a livestock agent does in law enforcement.

Sources

• Concerns of Police Survivors, National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.): concernsofpolicesurvivors.org
• DC Metropolitan Police Department release, January 9, 2015 National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day: dc.gov
• University of Pennsylvania Division of Public Safety, National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day: upenn.edu
• Peace Officers Memorial Day, 36 U.S.C. § 136: Cornell LII
• IACP Policing Code of Ethics: theiacp.org
• 5 C.F.R. § 2635.204, gift exceptions for federal employees: Cornell LII
• Trumbull, CT Police Department, Commend an Officer: trumbull-ct.gov