Grace Church at Willow Valley will host its 36th biennial Police Officers Appreciation and Memorial Service on Sunday, May 15. The service will begin at 4 p.m.

Special guests will include District Attorney Heather L. Adams, state Sen. Ryan Aument, and state Rep. Keith Greiner. The following awards will be presented during the service: Outstanding Act of Bravery, Officer of the Year, and Outstanding Career Achievement. These awards will be given in conjunction with the Lancaster County Chiefs of Police Association. Invitations have also been extended to Lancaster Bureau of Police's Mounted Officers.

Retired Sgt. James McElheny, known as "Sgt. Mac," will share about his experience in law enforcement. After serving six and a half years as a Military Police officer, he retired from the army as a Sergeant E-5. He then worked for the County of Lancaster as a police dispatcher and in 1993 became an officer with the East Lampeter Township Police Department, rising to the rank of sergeant. He was one of the police department's first DARE officers. He also served in the position of FTO (field training officer) and was a platoon sergeant for many years, retiring in 2017. He is also a chaplain with the International Conference of Police Chaplains and continues to serve as a member of the Lancaster County Critical Incident Stress Management debriefing team. He and his wife, Sheila, will celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary on Sunday, May 22.

The service will close with the reading of the Roll Call of Honor, remembering the 14 Lancaster County law enforcement personnel who have given their lives in the line of duty.

The public is invited to attend. Grace Church is located at 300 Willow Valley Square, behind the Giant Supermarket and adjacent to McDonald's.