Obama to address police at U.S. Capitol

Thousands of police officers from across the world are expected to converge on the U.S. Capitol on Friday morning for the 34th Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Service. Among the officials expected to attend: President Obama, who will address the crowd.

After the service, a wreath-laying ceremony is expected to take place nearby at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Held annually since 1982, the ceremony comes near the end of Police Week, a 53-year-old event first officially recognized in 1962 by President Kennedy.

The week-long event draws tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world. Organizers say as many as 40,000 people attend most years.

The Washington-based National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has said that 2014 was an especially deadly year for police. The non-profit group found that 126 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty last year, compared with 102 in 2013. The deaths include not just shootings but accidents and illness as well.