Respecting a fallen officer
Whenever a public safety officer (e.g. a law enforcement officer) is killed in the line of duty, it is common for the entire law enforcement community to come together to both pay its respects to the fallen officer and to support one another and the grieving family members.
To that end, there are many different yet significant ceremonies created for the occasion, and in some instances, they are extremely difficult to coordinate. Too many law enforcement departments do not have specific plans on how to handle a line of duty death, and no one is quite sure who is in charge of making it happen. But it does happen, because everyone works together to make it happen.
But what happens after the ceremony is over? The law enforcement community is busy putting itself back in order, guidelines are established to help make sure more deaths do not occur, and officers who were involved receive counseling to help them move on with their lives.
But what about the family members who are left behind? Too often, they are forgotten.
Concerns of Police Survivors is one agency that does not forget the grieving families of fallen officers. In addition to all of the activities in Washington, D.C., during May, when families of fallen officers gather for support and guidance (this year, May 11-17), COPS has a large number of specialized seminars throughout the year to assist all of the people involved in the loss of a law enforcement officer. People throughout the United States are asked to encourage their law enforcement community during May.
Let me give you some examples. This past fall COPS hosted its second National Conference of Law Enforcement Wellness and Trauma in the Dallas, Texas, area, on Nov. 11-13. The conference focused upon 40 different presenters covering topics related to taking care of police survivors. Examples of those topics included compassion fatigue, stress management and resiliency, vicarious trauma, suicide, coming back from a critical incident, line-of-duty death, transitioning to retirement, survivor guilt, PTSD/PTSR, peer support, chaplain programs, surviving your spouse’s career, and fitness and nutrition. Given the events affecting law enforcement personnel during the past few months, the timing and location of this conference was extremely significant.
COPS also will sponsor its Trauma of Law Enforcement Training Seminars in at least eight different states during 2017: Texas,
Colorado, Illinois, New York, Florida, California, North Dakota, and Louisiana. Several of our local law enforcement officers, including myself, have attended one of these seminars in the past and have found them both interesting and encouraging.
Recently, COPS also sponsored a summer camp for kids aged 6-14. Around 175 kids attended the camp plus about half that many adults who were related to them. The kids were there attempting to put their lives back together after losing a dad or mom in the line of duty. As one worker so poignantly said, “From the moment I stepped onto the sunny grounds and saw 177 kids and half as many parents — mostly moms — I choked back tears. I recognized the agony that qualified a camper to be here.”
The kids came from all over the country. One little boy had a T-shirt with the words, “Ask me about a hero and I’ll tell you about my dad.” Another shirt had “Heroes live forever,” and one little girl’s shirt stated “Blue Lives Matter.” The kids came to share and to grow. Police officers came to give. Together they learned to survive.
Last May, 454 men and women bicycle riders of Law Enforcement United rode 250 miles in support of the work that COPS does to support law enforcement survivors, and raised around $300,000. Each rider carried an American flag with a picture of a fallen officer. following the arrival ceremony, each rider presented the flag to the surviving family of the police officer they rode in memory of. LEU is the largest supporter of COPS.
For every death that occurs within the law enforcement community, as well as the military, there are many people left behind to grieve and to struggle to get on with their lives. Chaplains, pastors, church members, and friends provide support, but so does COPS, and we are thankful for its efforts to help.