(BOP) - On Tuesday, May 9, 2017, the Bureau of Prisons paid tribute to the agency's 26 fallen heroes during a memorial service at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. This year, Senior Officer Specialist Robert L. Hoffmann, who was killed in the line of duty on October 22, 1983 at USP Marion, was specifically honored. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was the guest speaker and stated:
A safe, secure, and humane corrections system is essential to upholding our nation's promise of justice for all. The work of building and sustaining that system belongs to the men and women we honor today - our correctional workers....The Department of Justice still mourns Officer Hoffmann's loss - and we honor his memory, and the memory of all these fallen heroes. But we do more than remember and mourn. We also celebrate their lives, and give thanks for their devotion to the cause of justice. And we recognize and thank all the brave men and women who uphold their legacy today, by carrying on their good work.
Following the Attorney General's remarks, Acting Director Kane addressed the audience saying:
"I am extremely proud of the men and women who work at our correctional institutions across the country. We are all grateful that no Bureau staff lost their life in the line of duty this year, but we are mindful of those who were seriously injured and hope and pray for their speedy and full recoveries...Every day Bureau of Prisons staff walk into environments full of danger. Correctional workers take those risks willingly because [they] understand the Bureau's missions of protecting public safety and reducing crime."