Project Blue Light remembers law enforcement who made the ultimate sacrifice

There’s a wall inside Troop F headquarters in Jefferson City that features 31 black and white photos of Highway Patrol troopers. Above these photos are the words “The Ultimate Sacrifice.”

“It’s important to remember those officers that have been killed in the line of duty,” said Sgt. Scott White.

Law enforcement nationwide also encourages another simple way to show respect and gratitude for those who gave their lives to protect ours: all you need is a blue light.

“Families have certain ways of remembering family members that have passed and this is just our way of remembering those officers that have passed across the nation,” said White.

Project Blue Light began three decades ago with a woman in Philadelphia. She wanted to honor her son-in-law who had been killed while working as a law enforcement officer.

Now, 30 years later, Troop F staff continues to keep the tradition going strong.

“The front face of Troop F has all of these blue lights, and this is the second year we’ve done it,” said White. “In the years past we had a blue candle in the window, and last year Troop F staff decided we were going to put the whole front of the building in blue.”

For law enforcement officers and their families, this message of support is everything, especially during the holidays.

If you’d like to show support for law enforcement nationwide, or someone close to you, all you need is a blue candle or light for your window or Christmas tree.