Monthly News From

COPS

Concerns of Police

Survivors, Inc.

January 2006

Aronson Family Foundation Continues Support of COPS Scholarship Program

        COPS has received a grant of $25,000 from the Aronson Family Foundation in Westport, CT, to be used for scholarships for surviving spouses and children of fallen law enforcement officers. Since 1998, the COPS Scholarship Program has received $95,500 from the Foundation. During that same period, COPS' scholarship budget has increased from $40,000 to over $80,000 annually. COPS appreciates the outstanding support of the Aronson Family Foundation that has enabled COPS to double the amount of money available for scholarships.

COPS Receives Funding for the Michael Sullivan Memorial Scholarship

        Michael Sullivan, 56, recently retired from his position of Chief Deputy of the Jefferson County (WI) Sheriff's Department. In August, he was killed in a tragic boating accident.  His surviving spouse, Judy, contacted the COPS office, learned about the COPS Scholarship Program, and donated the Michael Sullivan Memorial Fund to COPS. Beginning with the new fiscal year, each semester the Michael Sullivan Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to a surviving spouse or child who qualifies for a COPS scholarship.

COPS Grants $34,522 in Scholarships for Winter/Spring Semester

        Twenty-five scholarship applications totaling $34,522 were recently awarded by Concerns of Police Survivors for the Winter/Spring 2005-06 Semester. Since COPS began the Scholarship Program in 1993, COPS has helped 203 survivors in 44 states and territories with $668,102 total in educational assistance. This year alone, COPS has awarded $81,050 in scholarships to surviving spouses and children of America's fallen law enforcement officers.

        Two COPS scholarships were funded through a  generous donation by comedian and The Tonight Show host Jay Leno. Mr. Leno has donated proceeds of his book, How to Be the Funniest Kid in the Whole Wide World (Or Just in Your Class) to COPS. Sisters Whitney and Lauren Winn of Encinitas, CA, received these scholarships. The girls' father, Alan Winn, was a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency when he was killed 08-13-1991.

        Kristopher Williams of Brillion, WI, received the Aronson Family Foundation Scholarship. Kristopher is the son of Calumet (WI) Sheriff's Deputy Jeff Williams, End-of-Watch 06-08-1993. Kristopher is a senior at Luther College in Decorah, IA, and will graduate in the spring with a double major in math and computer science. He plans to pursue graduate studies in math at either the University of Iowa or the University of Minnesota.

        For a complete list of scholarship recipients, visit http://www.nationalcops.org/pr07.htm

The Traumas of Law Enforcement

        The first of seven three-day trainings on The Traumas of Law Enforcement will be held January 9-11 in Dallas, TX, with 128 registered to attend. Presenters will be COPS National President Shirley Gibson, Jim Horn (retired FBI Agent), Bob Douglas (Executive Director, National P.O.L.I.C.E. Suicide Foundation), and Mike Thompson (retired US Marshal).

        This training is recommended for Chiefs, Superintendents, Sheriffs, Chaplains, Dispatchers, Benefits Assistance Officers, Planning and Research officers, Employee Assistance employees, Liaison Officers, Special Operations Divisions, Victim Assistance personnel, or any law enforcement officer or law enforcement family member. There is still space available for the following trainings:

        January 23-25, Huntsville, AL;

        February 6-8, Lake Havasu City, AZ;

        February 27-March 1, Littleton, CO;

        March 6-8, Toledo, OH;

        March 13-15, Pomona, NJ;

        March 20-22, Eugene, OR.

        These three-day sessions provide law enforcement agencies with the tools needed to develop general orders addressing traumatic issues affecting officers and to sensitize them to emotional support needs of a fallen officer’s surviving families.  Other topics covered include appropriate death notification, funeral protocol, the need for emotional debriefings following critical incidents, law enforcement suicide, officer disability, traumatized officers, the effects of officer deaths on the co-workers, appropriate methods for dealing with survivors after the funeral, and the importance of support for officers that continue on the job.  Information on how to obtain continuing education units for the class will be available at the training site. The training is FREE, however, pre-registration is mandatory. For a registration form, visit <http://www.nationalcops.org/pr06.htm>.

National Police Week 2006

        Registration packets for National Police Week 2006 will be mailed in early February to surviving families in the COPS database. Agencies that lost an officer in 2005 will receive the same packet their surviving families receive. Participants are encouraged to respond by the deadlines listed in the information.

        Law enforcement officers who plan to attend only the Candlelight Vigil on May 13 and/or the Memorial Service on May 15 may contact DC Accommodations for hotel rooms (202-289-2220). Survivors and Memorial Service escort officers should make hotel reservations through COPS on the form included in the registration packet. Transportation to and from the airport and to and from the planned activities is provided only for those staying in Conference hotels. Survivors not staying at one of the official Conference hotels will find it very inconvenient and will have to secure their own  transportation to and from the airport and to and from all activities.

        The official observance of National Police Week is always the week that contains May 15. In 2006, those dates are May 14-20. However, national activities in Washington, DC, will be held as follows:

        May 11 -        Early arrival day
        May 12 -        Official arrival day and check-in
        May 13 -        First day of the 2006 National Police Survivors' Conference and "C.O.P.S. Kids/Teens" activities

        May 13 -        Annual Candlelight Vigil at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
        May 14 -        Second day of the 2006 National Police Survivors' Conference and "C.O.P.S. Kids/Teens" activities

        May 14 -        Troopers' Tour of the Capital for 2005 surviving families
        May 15 -        National Peace Officers' Memorial Service, West Lawn, US Capitol
        May 15 -        Picnic in the Park for survivors
        May 16 -        Official departure day
        National COPS sponsors the National Police Survivors' Conference, which includes some meals for participants. However, National COPS does not fund air travel or hotel costs. Agencies and local police groups are encouraged to financially assist surviving families so they can take part in the healing activities available in Washington when their officers are honored.

7th Annual NPC-50 is May 12
        The 7th annual National Police Challenge 50-kilometer relay race (NPC-50) will be held May 12. The NPC-50  is a 50-kilometer (31-mile) relay competition among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies from around the world. The NPC-50 is run in conjunction with National Police Week held each Spring in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Secret Service and the U.S.S.S. Employee Recreation Association coordinate the race on behalf of the law enforcement community. For information and registration forms, visit www.secretservice.gov/npc50/ <http://www.secretservice.gov/npc50/> or email npc50@verizon.net <mailto:npc50@verizon.net>. Proceeds benefit COPS and HEROES.

Survivors Donated $40,753 in Holiday Memorials

        Each year National COPS provides survivors the opportunity to make a holiday contribution in memory of their fallen officer. For each donation, a special ornament is placed on the holiday tree in the COPS National Office. This year, a special angel/photo frame ornament was placed in memory of the fallen officer for each donation of $100 or more. A blue-tipped snowflake ornament was placed for other donations.

        Survivors donated a total of $40,753 this holiday season. The COPS holiday tree was decorated with 250 angel/photo frame ornaments and 231 snowflake ornaments.

February 1 is Deadline for Nominations for Three COPS Awards
        The National Board of Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. recognizes one chapter each year that has demonstrated a cooperative approach in working with National COPS, provided services to its membership locally, and focused on meeting the mission of Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. Any Chapter that feels it meets or exceeds these goals may submit a self-nomination. This is the second year of this award. The 2005 Chapter of the Year was Northeast Florida COPS.

         Each year, National COPS recognizes an individual(s) whose volunteer services to the organization have contributed greatly to COPS’ programs with the Todd Ricks Award for Volunteerism. This award is named for Todd Ricks, a U.S. Park Police Motorcycle Officer.  Officer Ricks coordinated the motorcycle efforts during National Police Week for several years and was the inaugural recipient of this award. Todd’s efforts helped National Police Week events, including all COPS activities, run as smoothly as possible by organizing motorcycle escorts for buses to all events, including “C.O.P.S. Kids” events.

        The highest recognition bestowed by Concerns of Police Survivors is the Distinguished Service Award. This award is presented annually to an active or retired law enforcement officer/official for services above and beyond the call of duty when addressing police survivor issues. The law enforcement officer/official must be nominated by a member of the law enforcement family. That means any law enforcement officer, survivor, or police family member may nominate an officer for this distinction. They cannot, however, be nominated by a member of their own family.

        Contact Melissa at the COPS National Office (Melissa_Murray@nationalcops.org) for details on each award and the criteria for nomination. All nominations must be postmarked by February 1.

South Florida Motorcyclist Council Annual Donation

        COPS thanks the South Florida Motorcyclist Council for their annual donation of $15,000. Bob Amchir is the president of this group and has been extremely supportive of COPS for several years. Bob was recently recognized for his humanitarian and philanthropic work in south Florida. COPS thanks him for his philanthropy and support for law enforcement's surviving families - $121,000 since 1997!

California Peace Officer's Association 2006 Charity Golf Tournament to Benefit COPS
        Each year the California Peace Officer's Association holds an annual training conference and a charity golf tournament. The 2006 Charity Golf Tournament to be held June 5 will benefit COPS. For more information, email John Standish at standishj@insurance.ca.gov <mailto:standishj@insurance.ca.gov>.

Mrs. New Jersey Competitor Chooses COPS for Her Community Awareness Platform
        COPS certainly send best wishes for a successful endeavor to Patrolman Michele D. Edelman of the Randolph Township (NJ) Police Department. Patrolman Edelman is a contestant in the 2006 Mrs. New Jersey competition, representing her hometown as Mrs. Stillwater, NJ. She has chosen COPS as her community awareness platform. The competition will be held May 6, 2006.

Dates for COPS' 2006 Retreats

        Mark your calendars! Note that the Adult Children's Retreat has been moved to July to better accommodate college students. Information and registration forms will be available on the COPS website this spring.

        Adult Children's Retreat, Potosi, MO - July 7 through 10

        Summer Camp in Troy, WI -  July 31 through August 6

        Outward Bound in Colorado - July 31 through August 6

        Siblings Retreat, Potosi, MO - September 8 through 11

        Spouses Weekend, Potosi, MO - September 22 through 25

        Parents Retreat, Camdenton, MO - October 6 through 9

        In-Laws Retreat, Potosi, MO - October 20 through 23

Project Blue Light a Community Affair in Roseville, CA

The Police Officers Wives Association in Roseville, CA, has promoted Project Blue Light  in the community since the line-of-duty death of Mark White in February 1995.  In 2004, Roseville was affected by the deaths of two more officers. Rocklin Officer Matt Redding and CHP Officer Andy Stevens;  Rocklin (CA) Officer Matt Redding served on a Regional SWAT Team with Roseville officers and California Highway Patrolman Andy Stevens was a long time Roseville resident. This photo was sent to COPS by Project Blue Light Committee Chairman Marissa Janney to show how Project Blue Light is promoted in the Roseville community. In addition to flyers and displays such as this one, the Police Officers Wives Association has given away over 6,000 blue light bulbs in the community. Visit <http://www.roseville.ca.us/police/default.asp> for more information and promote Project Blue Light in your community next year during the holiday season.

January Specials from COPSstore
COPSstore is offering more than 35% off the regular price on COPS baseball caps. These caps come in several colors and are now only $9.00. All caps feature an adjustable brass closure.  Check the COPSstore website throughout the month for other specials and closeouts as we make room for our 2006 designs. All COPS and National Police Week merchandise can be found at <http://www.copsstore.com/>. COPSstore has been your official source for COPS merchandise since 1992. 

Concerns of Police Survivors has been awarded the "Best in America" seal of approval from Independent Charities of America. The Independent Charities Seal of Excellence is awarded to the members of Independent Charities of America and Local Independent Charities of America that have, upon rigorous independent review, been able to certify, document, and demonstrate on an annual basis that they meet the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. These standards include those required by the US Government for inclusion in the Combined Federal Campaign, probably the most exclusive fund drive in the world. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, it is estimated that fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent, meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal.  Visit www.independentcharities.org

Charity Navigator has named Concerns of Police Survivors a Four Star Charity - "Exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its Cause." Visit www.charitynavigator.org.