Saturday, February 27, 2016

COPS Walk SW 2016

COPS Walk SW 2016    

We made the trek from WV the next to last weekend of February to Scottsdale, AZ for the Concerns of Police Survivors fundraiser.  This was the 5th Annual COPS Walk Southwest.  About 22 fantastic participants walked a total of 25 miles for the weekend. In total, over $64,000 was raised for the C.O.P.S. Hands-On Programs, which provides Law Enforcement survivors with grief counseling and much needed support. It was an incredible weekend with great people.  It was great to see old friends and make some new ones!
 Thanks to all of the walkers, sponsors, supporters, and the media for the coverage.  I feel blessed to have been a part of this event.  I took another 350 images from this awesome event!  What an honor and privilege!  Special thanks to those in law enforcement who helped with the event!






Remembering the 2016 Fallen Heroes


Police Officer Thomas W. Cottrell, Jr.
Danville Police Department, OH
EOW: Sunday, January 17, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, Utah
Police Officer Douglas Scott Barney, II.
Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, UT
EOW: Sunday, January 17, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Marion County Sheriff's Office, Illinois
Correctional Officer Adam Conrad
Marion County Sheriff's Office, IL
EOW: Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Cause of Death: Automobile accident

United States Department of Homeland Security - Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Government
Special Agent Scott McGuire
United States Department of Homeland Security - Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, US
EOW: Sunday, January 24, 2016
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault

Seaside Police Department, Oregon
Sergeant Jason Goodding
Seaside Police Department, OR
EOW: Friday, February 5, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Tulare County Sheriff's Office, California
Deputy Sheriff Scott Ballantyne
Tulare County Sheriff's Office, CA
EOW: Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Cause of Death: Aircraft accident

Mesa County Sheriff's Office, Colorado
Deputy Sheriff Derek Geer
Mesa County Sheriff's Office, CO
EOW: Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Harford County Sheriff's Office, Maryland
Senior Deputy Mark Logsdon
Harford County Sheriff's Office, MD
EOW: Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Harford County Sheriff's Office, Maryland
Senior Deputy Patrick Dailey
Harford County Sheriff's Office, MD
EOW: Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Riverdale Police Department, Georgia
Major Gregory E. "Lem" Barney
Riverdale Police Department, GA
EOW: Thursday, February 11, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Fargo Police Department, North Dakota
Police Officer Jason Moszer
Fargo Police Department, ND
EOW: Thursday, February 11, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Bureau of Narcotics, Mississippi
Special Agent Lee Tartt
Mississippi Department of Public Safety - Bureau of Narcotics, MS
EOW: Saturday, February 20, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Park County Sheriff's Office, Colorado
Corporal Nate Carrigan
Park County Sheriff's Office, CO
EOW: Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire


Officer Ashley M. Guindon
Prince William County Police Department, VA
EOW: Saturday, February 27, 2016
Cause of Death: Gunfire
She was killed in the line of duty on her first day.



Concerns of Police Survivors
“Each year, between 140 and 160 officers are killed in the line of duty and their families and co-workers are left to cope with the tragic loss. C.O.P.S. provides resources to help them rebuild their shattered lives. There is no membership fee to join C.O.P.S., for the price paid is already too high.

C.O.P.S. was organized in 1984 with 110 individual members. Today C.O.P.S. membership is over 37,000 families. Members include spouses, children, parents, siblings, significant others, and affected co-workers of officers killed in the line of duty according to Federal government criteria. C.O.P.S. is governed by a National Board of law enforcement survivors. All programs and services are administered by the National Office in Camdenton, Missouri. C.O.P.S. has over 50 Chapters nationwide that work with survivors at the grass-roots level.

C.O.P.S. programs for survivors include the National Police Survivors' Conference held each May during National Police Week, scholarships, peer-support at the national, state, and local levels, "C.O.P.S. Kids" counseling reimbursement program, the "C.O.P.S. Kids" Summer Camp, "C.O.P.S. Teens" Outward Bound experience for young adults, special retreats for spouses, parents, siblings, adult children, in-laws, and co-workers, trial and parole support, and other assistance programs.

C.O.P.S. knows that a survivor's level of distress is directly affected by the agency's response to the tragedy. C.O.P.S., therefore, offers training and assistance to law enforcement agencies nationwide on how to respond to the tragic loss of a member of the law enforcement profession. C.O.P.S. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. C.O.P.S. programs and services are funded by grants and donations.”
 Day One.  A sea of blue...


Arizona Concerns of Police Survivors
“The Arizona Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. provides resources to assist in the rebuilding of the lives of surviving families and affected co-workers of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty as determined by Federal criteria. Furthermore, C.O.P.S. provides training to law enforcement agencies on survivor victimization issues and educates the public of the need to support the law enforcement profession and its survivors.”















COPS WALK Southwest
A physical challenge, emotional high and an opportunity to support C.O.P.S.' Hands-On Programs.
Come join us in February for the Annual COPS WALK Southwest in Phoenix, Arizona.  We will bring survivors, friends and the law enforcement community together to help fund-raiser for Concerns of Police Survivors' Hands-On Programs.
C.O.P.S. Hands-On Programs include peer support and counseling retreats for surviving spouses, parents, siblings, adult children, fiancées and significant others, extended family members and co-workers.  C.O.P.S. Kids and Teens Programs include Kids Camp and Outward Bound for children of officers who died in the line of duty.
 Dinner at Talking Stick Resort


Preliminary 2016 Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities
January 1 through February 27, 2016 vs. January 1 through February 27, 2015
            2016   2015   % Change
Total Fatalities         13       15       -13%
Firearms-related    10       1          +900%
Traffic-related         2          8          -75%
Other Causes          1          6          -83%
Please note: These numbers reflect total officer fatalities comparing
January 1 through February 27, 2016 vs. January 1 through February 27, 2015.

2016 Fatalities by State
Maryland       2
California      1
Colorado       2
Georgia         1
Illinois            1
Mississippi   1
North Dakota           1
Ohio   1
Oregon          1
Utah   1
Federal Agencies: 1
Military: 0
U.S. Territories: 0
Tribal: 0


Day Two Begins! 
 A physical challenge, an emotional high, and the opportunity to help C.O.P.S.  We never walk alone.”

Happy Birthday!!!











Here are links to some of my other Law Enforcement themed blogs:






































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She found an enabler for Pepsi... :-)



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I am really not sure what to say about this one...
The Porta-Pot driver was everyone's friend. He was great!