WISCONSIN — Thousands of people are in Washington, D.C., for National Police Week, which honors law enforcement officials who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Several Wisconsin law enforcement officers are attending the week-long event, which runs through May 20.

So far this year, four Wisconsin law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty. Milwaukee police officer Peter Jerving was shot and killed on Feb. 7 while trying to arrest a robbery suspect. Hunter Scheel, an officer with the Cameron Police Department, and Emily Breidenbach, an officer with the Chetek Police Department, were fatally shot while conducting a traffic stop in Barron County on April 8. St. Croix County sheriff’s deputy Kaitie Leising was shot and killed May 6 while responding to a report of a potential drunk driver in a ditch.

“It has been extremely difficult — on the heels of our fourth line of duty death already this year — coming out here and paying respects to those who have fallen last year and years past,” said Ryan Windorff, president of the Wisconsin Fraternal Order of Police. “We will be out here next year putting four more names on the memorials.”

 Although the names of the four fallen Wisconsin officers will not be engraved on the National Law Enforcement Memorial in D.C. this year, they are already being honored.

When Windorff arrived at the memorial this week, he came across makeshift memorials for the officers.

“When we arrived, we walked the memorial and noticed the makeshift memorials. They are not forgotten and will not be forgotten. We will be here next year when their names are added to the wall,” Windorff said. "It is a stark reminder of the sacrifices law enforcement officers give every day when they go out and protect the community.”

Windorff said this week is a reminder of selfless acts officers perform every day, and he encouraged Wisconsinites to use this week to show appreciation.

“Take an extra second and go up and shake their hand to say, ‘Thank you.’ It is an industry that has taken a beating during the past few years. We need to be thankful that people are still willing to go out and protect the communities and even make the ultimate sacrifice,” said Windorff.