September 11, 2001, has been forever etched into our memories. Even though 25 years have passed, millions of Americans can recall with vivid clarity where they were upon learning about the deadliest terror attack to happen on U.S. soil. For law enforcement professionals, images of our brothers and sisters in blue rushing into the chaos and danger of the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City or responding to the impact site at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, never really dim in one’s memory.

This week, LAAPOA joins with the country in honoring the heroes of that day and remembering the nearly 3,000 lives lost. Also on this 25th anniversary, let’s begin contemplating how the profession will honor the heroism and sacrifices made that day for years to come. The newest generation of law enforcement professionals are among the first who probably were too young to form lasting personal memories of those tragic events, or maybe weren’t even born yet. It’s important to ensure they, and the generations to follow, never forget the legacies of police officers, firefighters and first responders who answered the call to serve and protect under unprecedented circumstances.

The national law enforcement community already has lost too many lives associated with 9/11. In addition to the 72 law enforcement deaths on the day of the attacks, including 37 members of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department (PAPD), it is estimated that 9/11-related illnesses have accounted for more than 600 line-of-duty deaths, with 36 more lost over the past year.

However, surviving officers and other first responders now find themselves facing emerging health concerns related to aging. FDNY WTC Health Program research suggests this group will incur cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline at notably higher rates than the general population. The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) has pushed for these conditions to be added to the list of covered 9/11 illnesses so individuals receive the quality care they deserve. Unfortunately, the government recently declined to add cardiovascular disease.

What’s more, many of the surviving first responders are retiring — the average age currently sits at 64. As they pursue this next, well-earned stage of life, and more of Generation Z joins departments, there’s potential the profession will forever lose the stories of those who lived through one of the most critical moments of modern U.S. history. The need to pass on those firsthand accounts of what transpired in the WTC Towers, or tales about the colleagues lost, only grows more urgent. (To hear one PAPD officer’s firsthand account of that day and its aftermath, check out Episode 5 of LAAPOA’s video podcast, The Layover, in which President Marshall McClain interviews retired police officer Bobby Egbert.)

Additionally, it’s important younger officers understand how law enforcement and aviation security changed as a result of the attack. The Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration were created in the wake of 9/11. The PATRIOT Act was passed to expand law enforcement’s surveillance and investigative powers. And a slew of airport facilities and baggage and passenger screening procedures were established that have become standard operating procedures today.

“Whether you were on the job 25 years ago or are new to your law enforcement career, peace officers, and especially airport police, continue to live with daily reminders of the need for vigilance so we never again face such levels of terrorism,” LAAPOA President Marshall McClain says. “On this 25th anniversary of a devastating day to our country, our law enforcement brothers and sisters, and our first responder family, let us be sure their valor will continue to be honored for generations to come.”