Officer Down Memorial Page: End of Watch Report November 2015

November 2015 saw the line of duty deaths of eleven police officers.  Five of those eleven officers were shot and killed, three died as a result of vehicular assault, two died in automobile accidents, and one died as a result of a 9/11-related illness.

With just one month left in 2015, the total number of line of duty deaths stands at 116, which is down 4% in comparison to 2014.  Gunfire deaths total 36 -- a full 16% lower than last year's figures, which is an encouraging statistic.  Auto-related deaths, however, are up by 5% over last year, totaling 46 at this point.

The Officer Down Memorial Page extends our sincere condolences to the families, friends, and agencies who lost a loved one in November 2015.  Please read their memorials here and Remember the Fallen:

Police Officer Bryce Edward Hanes
San Bernardino Police Department, CA

Police Officer Daniel Neil Ellis
Richmond Police Department, KY

Police Officer Stacy Lynn Case
Columbia Police Department, SC

Chief of Police Darrell Lemond Allen
Marlin Police Department, TX

Trooper Jaimie Lynn Jursevics
Colorado State Patrol, CO

Police Officer Ricardo Galvez
Downey Police Department, CA

Corporal William Matthew Solomon
Georgia Ports Authority Police Department, GA

Special Investigator Diane DiGiacomo
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Humane Law Enforcement, NY

Police Officer Ryan P. Copeland
McFarland Police Department, WI

Police Officer Garrett Swasey
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Police Department, CO

Police Officer Lloyd E. Reed, Jr.
St. Clair Township Police Department, PA

Support ODMP in the Giving Tower Challenge

On December 1st -- #GivingTuesday -- the Officer Down Memorial Page will join with other non-profits and charities in the Giving Tower Challenge to raise money for worthwhile causes.

Each donation made to the Officer Down Memorial Page through the Giving Tower link that day counts as a brick in a virtual tower; last year's tower grew to be the 5th tallest building in the world.  This year the goal is to create the tallest "building" in the world and show the true impact of all of our collective giving.

In addition, the organization that raises the most money on December 1st will win an additional $25,000 for their charity.

We are asking our loyal supporters to help by joining our team -- the ODMP Band of Blue -- and becoming fundraisers. By reaching out to your friends and family to raise awareness and money for our cause, imagine the impact we can have.  

Every dollar we raise in the Giving Tower Challenge will be used to help ODMP fulfill it's mission of honoring fallen law enforcement heroes.  Some of the programs your donation will support include:

• Creating and maintaining the more than 22,000 Memorial & Reflection pages for each fallen officer on ODMP, including fallen K9 heroes
•  Sending more than 3 million Line of Duty Death notifications annually
• Supporting the survivors of the fallen through our comprehensive benefits database
• Keeping cop killers behind bars through our No Parole program

If you're interested in helping make this year's Giving Tower more successful than ever before, and if you want to support ODMP and honor fallen law enforcement heroes, please consider joining our team and ask your family and friends to donate in support of a great cause.

#GivingTuesday is next week on December 1st, so mark your calendars and get ready to show just what kind of impact we can have when we all work together in support of a good cause.

As always, we at ODMP thank you for your generous support and appreciate all that you do!

Officer Down Memorial Page: End of Watch Report October 2015

Following on the heels of two very deadly months, October seemed relatively peaceful with only seven line of duty deaths.  Each of those, however, marked the End of Watch for an individual who dedicated his life to public safety, and so we all suffer a loss with the passing of each of these heroes.

Of the seven line of duty deaths in October, three were the result of automobile accidents, three were the result of gunfire, and one was the result of a duty-related illness.

Although we can take solace in the fact that line of duty deaths are down 5% from this point last year, and even more in the fact that gunfire line of duty deaths are down 20%, it is important to point out that auto-related deaths -- which are often preventable -- are up 5% in 2015.  Addressing this critical issue could potentially save many lives.

The Officer Down Memorial Page extends our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and agencies who lost a loved one in October 2015, and asks that you take a moment to read their memorials and remember their service.

Police Officer Anthony Lossiah
Cherokee Indian Police Department, Tribal Police

Investigator Steven Martin Sandberg
Aitkin County Sheriff's Office, MN

Detective Randolph Holder
New York City Police Department, NY

Park Ranger James Marvin Wallen, Jr.
Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Dept, TN

Deputy Constable Jeffrey Radford
Bell County Constable's Office - Precinct 3, TX

Police Officer Daniel Scott Webster
Albuquerque Police Department, NM

Sergeant William "Karl" Keesee
Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol, TX

The Band of Blue

While the “Thin Blue Line” has long been the symbol that represents law enforcement officers (LEOs), those of us who have taken that oath to protect and serve know that that blue line is made up not only of police officers, but of family, friends, and community supporters as well.

These people make up what we like to call the Band of Blue.

As we come into the last quarter of 2015 and begin looking back at the year, we at ODMP would like to recognize the Band of Blue: those individuals across the country and around the world who acknowledge and appreciate the sacrifice of the men and women behind the badge. 

Without the support of that Band of Blue, we at ODMP would not be able to carry out OUR mission to honor those law enforcement officers who have given their lives in the line of duty and to ensure that their memories are kept alive and their sacrifices remembered.

And so we would like to take this chance to say THANK YOU.

Thank you for supporting the Officer Down Memorial Page. 

Thank you for supporting law enforcement. 

Thank you for remembering our fallen heroes.

Thank you for being a part of the the Band of Blue.

Officer Down Memorial Page: End of Watch Report September 2015

September 2015 saw the end of watch for fourteen law enforcement officers.  

Five of those deaths were the result of felonious gunfire, four were the result of automobile accidents, two were the result of heart attack, two were due to 9/11-related illness, and one was the result of a medical emergency during a training exercise.

Each of these fallen heroes deserves our thanks and gratitude and will be remembered and honored for having given their lives in service.

The Officer Down Memorial Page sends our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and agencies who lost a loved one in September 2015. 

Please take a moment to read the memorial for each of these fallen heroes:

Sergeant Miguel Perez-Rios
Puerto Rico Police Department, PR





Lieutenant Roy McLaughlin
Yonkers Police Department, NY





Deputy Chief John P. McKee
City University of New York Public Safety Department, NY





Trooper Joseph Cameron Ponder
Kentucky State Police, KY

Deputy Sheriff Steven "Brett" Hawkins
Harrison County Sheriff's Office, MO

Deputy Sheriff Dwight Darwin Maness
McHenry County Sheriff's Department, IL





Deputy Sheriff Richard Allen Hall
Chatham County Sheriff's Office, GA

Sergeant Eric Meier
Crawford Police Department, NY

Trooper Kyle D. Young
Vermont State Police, VT

Police Officer Kevin Toatley
DeKalb County Police Department, GA

Trooper Nathan-Michael W. Smith
Virginia State Police

Deputy Sheriff Bill Myers
Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, FL


 

Deputy Sheriff Rosemary Vela
Madison County Sheriff's Office, TN

 

Police Officer Greg Alia
Forest Acres Police Department, SC

Keep Cop Killers Behind Bars

On Mother's Day, May 12, 1991, retired NYC Police Detective Jerry DeMarco was murdered during an attempted robbery at a florist shop in Staten Island, NY.  Detective DeMarco died protecting the people in that shop, including his wife, Laura.  He left behind two young children, ages 3 and 5 at the time of their father's murder.

In October, one of the men convicted for Detective DeMarco's murder is eligible for parole.

Please take a moment and send a letter asking that this cop killer is kept behind bars where he belongs.  Below you'll find a sample letter that you can copy, print, and send, or feel free to write your own.

To Whom It May Concern,

I respectfully ask that you DENY PAROLE to Roberto Gonzalez DIN # 94A0827.

This inmate murdered retired NYC Police Detective Jerry DeMarco on Mother's Day, May 12, 1991.  Detective DeMarco was shot and killed while protecting customers, including his wife, during an attempted robbery in a florist shop in Staten Island, NY.  He left behind two young children, ages 3 and 5 at the time of their father's murder.

This inmate's violent behavior should preclude any consideration for parole.

As a concerned citizen and in the interest of public safety, I again respectfully ask that you DENY PAROLE to inmate # 94A0827. Justice demands that he be made to spend every remaining day of his full sentence in prison.

Sincerely,

Letters are due by 30 September 2015 and can be sent to the following address:

Harriman State Campus

1220 Washington Ave

Albany NY 12226

Attn: Office of Victim Services

Never Forget

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001 more law enforcement line of duty deaths occurred in this country than on any other day in United States History.

In total, 72 officers died that day, and in the 14 years since, dozens of others have died as a result of 9/11-related illnesses.

When others ran away, they ran in.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, seventy-two officers from a total of eight local, state, and federal agencies were killed when terrorist hijackers working for the al Qaeda terrorist network, headed by Osama bin Laden, crashed two of four hijacked planes into the World Trade Center towers in New York City.

After the impact of the first plane, law enforcement officers, along with fire and EMS personnel, rushed to the burning Twin Towers of the World Trade Center to aid the victims and lead them to safety, putting the welfare of others before their own.

Due to their quick actions, it is estimated that over 25,000 people were saved.

As the evacuation continued, the first tower unexpectedly collapsed due to the intense heat from the fire and the extensive structural damage. The second tower collapsed a short time later.

On that day, 71 law enforcement officers, 343 members of the New York City Fire Department and over 2,800 civilians were killed at the World Trade Center site.

A third hijacked plane crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania when the passengers attempted to re-take control of the plane. One law enforcement officer -- a passenger on the plane -- was killed in that crash.

The fourth hijacked plane was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, killing almost 200 military and civilian personnel. No law enforcement officers were killed at the Pentagon.

On September 9, 2005, all of the public safety officers killed on September 11, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush.

In the years since the attacks, many more rescue workers have succumbed to 9/11-related diseases. 

Please take a moment today to read the ODMP Memorial Page dedicated to the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11th.

We Will Never Forget.

Officer Down Memorial Page: End of Watch Report August 2015

August 2015 was one of two months this year with 14 total line of duty deaths (LODDs), the second highest monthly toll in 2015.  Six of those deaths occurred in the last week of the month.

Of the August LODDs, six were the result of felonious gunfire, two resulted from fatal heart attacks, and the remaining deaths were vehicular -- either motorcycle-, aircraft-, or automobile related.  These vehicular deaths bring the total in 2015 to 35 Line of Duty Deaths in that category -- the leading cause of death this year, and up 10% over this time in 2014.

Each of the officers who lost their lives in August 2015 is to be remembered for their sacrifice and honored for their service.  The Officer Down Memorial Page extends our deepest condolences to the families, friends, and agencies who lost loved ones in August 2015.

Please take a moment to read their memorials:

Deputy Sheriff Delton Daniels
Marlboro County Sheriff's Office, South Carolina




Officer Sean Michael Bolton
Memphis Police Department, Tennessee

Officer Thomas LaValley
Shreveport Police Department, Louisiana

Detective Brent L. Hanger
Washington State Patrol, Washington

First Lieutenant Arthur A. Green III
Michigan Department of Natural Resoures, Michigan

Deputy Sheriff Craig Stephen Whisenand
Tazewell County Sheriff's Office, Illinois

Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell
Carson City Sheriff's Office, Nevada

Detention Officer Tronoski Jones
Harris County Sheriff's Office, Texas

Senior Trooper Steven Vincent
Louisiana State Police, Louisiana

Sergeant Peggy Vassallo
Bellefontaine Neighbors Police Department, Missouri

Police Officer Henry Nelson
Sunset Police Department, Louisiana

Trooper James M. Bava
Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri

Trooper Chad H. Wolf
Michigan State Police, Michigan

Deputy Sheriff Darren H. Goforth
Harris County Sheriff's Department, Texas

"When a police officer is killed, it's not an agency that loses an officer, it's an entire nation."

-Chris Cosgriff, ODMP Founder