FBI Director Kash Patel kicks off Police Week 2026, honors fallen officers and vows tough response to attacks on police

Kash Patel, identifying himself as the ninth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, recorded a message launching Police Week 2026, praising law enforcement and honoring officers killed or injured in the line of duty.

Patel said the annual observance is “a special time to honor the heroes who face danger day after day,” and credited federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officers with making the country “the safest we’ve been in a long time.” He pointed to the human cost of policing last year, saying “53 law enforcement officers in our country were feloniously killed in the line of duty, and another 28 heroes tragically suffered accidental deaths while protecting and serving their communities.”

The FBI director thanked officers and their families and said the bureau is “honored to serve alongside you.” He also thanked “the Trump administration, who always backs the blue,” adding, “Backing the blue is here to stay.” In a forceful passage he said, “if you touch a cop, we’re going to put you down.”

Patel framed Police Week as a time to recognize the dedication of officers who accept personal risk: “These heroes left for work, knowing they might not make it home,” he said. He closed the message by thanking officers for their service.

The remarks are a recorded kickoff for Police Week 2026 and do not announce new policy or formal actions by the FBI.