Carbon County officials are urging area residents and business to fly the American Flag at half-staff on Sunday in honor of the police officers across the nation who lost their lives in the line of duty.

During the county commissioners' meeting on Thursday, the board adopted a proclamation designating May 15 as Peace Officers' Memorial Day. May 15 also kicks off National Police Week across the country.Commissioner William O'Gurek, chairman, asked Sheriff Dwight Nothstein to accept the proclamation on behalf of all area police officers.The proclamation states, "The members of the law enforcement agencies of Carbon County play an essential role in safeguarding the rights and freedoms of Carbon County. It is important all citizens known and understand the duties, responsibilities, hazards, and sacrifices of their law enforcement agencies, and members of our law enforcement agencies recognize their duty to serve the people by safeguarding life and property, by protecting them against violence and disorder, and by protecting the innocent against deception and the weak against oppression."Therefore, be it resolved, the Board of Commissioners of Carbon County calls upon all citizens of Carbon County and upon all patriotic, civic and educational organizations to observe the week of May 15-21, as Police Week with appropriate ceremonies and observances in which all of our people may join in commemorating law enforcement officers, past and present, who, by their faithful and loyal devotion to their responsibilities, have rendered a dedicated service to their communities and, in so doing, have established for themselves an enviable and enduring reputation for preserving the rights and security of all citizens."Be it further resolved, the Board of Commissioners of Carbon County calls upon all citizens of Carbon County to observe Sunday, May 15, 2011 as Peace Officers' Memorial Day in honor of those law enforcement officers, who through their courageous deeds, have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their community or have become disabled in the performance of duty, and let us recognize and pay respect to the survivors of our fallen heroes."Nothstein thanked the board for recognizing police week and explained that officers will have blue ribbons on their cruisers next week in honor of the officers who were killed on the job.He noted that the murders of police officers has risen by 44 percent from last year.May 15 has served as a memorial day for police officers since 1962, when President John F. Kennedy signed Public Law 87-726, which designated the day and week in honor of the men and women who lost their lives while on duty.In other matters, the board also adopted a resolution supporting the education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that is proposed in Washington D.C. The center will hold photos of all 58,267 veterans who were killed during the Vietnam war, including the 11 from Carbon County.Commissioner Wayne Nothstein said that they are currently trying to get the photos of the military personnel who were killed during the war to include in the memorial.He strongly encourages everyone who visits Washington to visit the memorial, as well as all of the other military memorials.The commissioners also voted to submit a one-year extension request on the $2 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Project Grant. The grant will be used to develop the Packerton Business Park, which straddles Mahoning Township and Lehighton.O'Gurek explained that the county is asking that the start date for the project be extended by one year because, as of right now, the county does not have a highway occupancy permit from PennDOT for the entrance to the park. Originally, the project was slated to start this fall."We're in a predicament because we don't have a highway occupancy permit from PennDOT," O'Gurek said. "Until we do, we cannot start the project."He added that PennDOT is now requiring the county to enlarge a portion of Route 209 in the Packerton Dip to increase the berm. That would force officials to have to purchase additional land for the project.O'Gurek and Commissioner Nothstein voiced how they felt about the new requirements.O'Gurek said the berm issue is puzzling because PennDOT just completed a $2 million stimulus project on Route 209 and were not worried about the berm at that time.Nothstein said this issue with the road width should have been addressed earlier because PennDOT knew about the Packerton project before the repaving project was completed.