Thursday, December 2, 2010

Helping Survivors Survive the Holidays

Last night I had the privilege of having dinner with two very good friends, who happen to have very important jobs they never wanted: President of Concerns of Police Survivors, Linda Moon Gregory (surviving sister of Officer James Moon), and Director of National Outreach, Jennifer Thacker (surviving spouse of Investigator Brandon Thacker). You see, they never wanted their jobs because you have to be a survivor of a fallen officer in order to have them.

During the course of discussion the topic of the holidays came up, specifically how hard it is for "new" survivors to make it through the season without their loved one. I asked them for a little guidance that I could share with both survivors and law enforcement officers on how to cope during such an emotional period. Here's what they suggested:

 For members of the fallen officer's agency:
  1. Simply send a Christmas or holiday card saying "we're thinking of you."
  2. Invite the surviving family (spouse, children, parents, siblings, etc.) to any holiday socials the agency or association is planning, and don't be offended if they decline or don't show up.
  3. Send a gift or gift card.
  4. If you setup a Christmas tree in the lobby or at the FOP/association building, invite the family to decorate it. Ask them to make or buy a special ornament that remembers their officer. Consider decorating the tree with blue lights.
  5. With anything you do, include ALL family members. Losing an officer impacts not only the spouse, but also the children, parents, siblings, grandparents and other close extended family.
For the survivors:
  1. If invited to the department's holiday party, attend if you feel up to it, but don't feel obligated to go if you're not. The officers won't be offended if you're a no-show.
  2. Establish a new tradition to honor your officer like lighting a candle or buying/making a special ornament.
  3. Surround yourself with "safe" people; family and friends who can listen and be there to support you.
  4. Don't feel like you have to decorate for the holidays.
  5. Don't hesitate to ask for help. Reach out to family, coworkers, or other survivors if you need help with something around the house, shopping, or just to talk.
On that last point above, if you have no one else to talk to, call another survivor from COPS. COPS members are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The COPS National Office can provide contact information for appropriate points of contact in any state by calling 573-346-4911 during business hours. After hours, you can call a representative from your local or state chapter. If your state doesn't have a chapter, call a rep from a neighboring state.

Lastly, for everyone reading this, you can show your support for all fallen officers and their survivors by participating in Project Blue Light. It's as simple as sticking a blue light in one of your windows throughout the holiday season.

As a fundraiser, COPS sells a special LED candle designed by Streamlight®. Order one (or more) today and display it proudly for all of your neighbors to see. If you have other interesting ways you participate in Project Blue Light, post it in the comments section below so others can get ideas on how to participate as well.
Posted by Chris Cosgriff at 3:02 PM
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Conservation Law Enforcement: More Dangerous Than You Think

WCO David Grove
Earlier this month Wildlife Conservation Officer David Grove conducted a traffic stop of a suspected poacher just outside of the Gettysburg National Military Park. The poacher turned out to be a convicted felon who was determined not to return to jail. As Officer Grove placed handcuffs on the man a struggle ensued and the felon shot him several times, killing him. Officer Grove's murder made national news. After all, how often is a "game warden" killed, let alone gunned down, in the line of duty?

The answer is "too often." Of the five conservation officers killed so far this year, four have been killed by gunfire. In addition to Officer Grove, two rangers with the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and an officer with the U.S. Forest Service have been fatally shot.

Because most people live their lives without ever coming into contact with a conservation officer, it is easy to understand the misconceptions the general public has about their duties and the dangers they face. National Geographic's new program 'Wild Justice' does a wonderful job in profiling the extreme dangers that these protectors face. Of particular concern these days is the use of wildlands by cartels to harvest their marijuana crop. These cartels will stop at nothing to protect their crop - even if it means killing a law enforcement officer who stumbles across the grow.

Another major concern: Just about everyone a game warden encounters during hunting season is armed. The overwhelming majority of hunters are responsible, practice appropriate gun safety, and respect both the environment and authorities. But there are those irresponsible hunters, and even criminals like Officer Grove's killer, who are out there and pose a grave danger to officers and other hunters alike.

Officer Chris Upton
C/O James Spignesi
Officer Chris Upton, with the U.S. Forest Service, was fatally shot by a hunter who mistook him for a coyote while on patrol in Georgia earlier this year. In 1998, Conservation Officer James Spignesi, with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, was fatally shot by a poacher who claimed the shooting was an accident. What made Officer Spignesi's death all the more tragic, was that the shooter was an off duty corrections officer.

Whether they're enforcing hunting laws, fishing laws, protection conservation areas and natural resources, or investigating illegal wildlife trade, conservation officers and game wardens have an incredibly tough job. Their backup may be literally hours away. With high profile cases like the murder of Officer Grove bringing attention to the dangers, and programs like 'Wild Justice' promoting the profession in a positive way, my hope is that conservation officers will continue to be acknowledged, recognized, and thanked for the extremely important work they do every day and every night. And for those who few conservation officers and game wardens who never made it home from patrol, we will remember you always.

Since the first known deaths in 1886, 284 game wardens / conservation officers / natural resource officers from 65 different agencies have been killed in the line of duty. They will always be remembered.

Posted by Chris Cosgriff at 11:48 AM
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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Fire Marshals: Straddling the Line Between Detective and Firefighter

Fire Marshal Ronald Bucca
As the World Trade Center towers burned, hundreds of law enforcement officers and firefighters rushed into them in an effort to save the thousands of citizens inside. One of those men was Fire Marshal Ronald Bucca.

Although he worked for the New York City Fire Department, Fire Marshal Bucca was actually an armed law enforcement officer, tasked with investigating very serious and deadly crimes involving arson and explosives.

Depending on the jurisdiction, law enforcement fire marshals have been around for quite a long time. I remember my first encounter with one when I was an Explorer for the Fairfax City Police Department in Virginia in the early 1990s. I was assisting with crowd control and other Explorer-duties during the city's annual 4th of July Fireworks display when I met the local fire marshal. I was surprised to learn that he was allowed to carry a gun and wear a vest, but I was even more surprised to learn he was supposed to keep them both in his trunk unless he really needed them (even as a teenager I couldn't find the logic in that!)

But how times have changed. No longer are fire marshals in Fairfax required to keep their guns and vests tucked away in their trunks. That same trend of legitimizing their law enforcement status is taking off around the country as they fulfill a critical - and very specialized - role within the greater law enforcement field, and that role doesn't come without sacrifice.

Unfortunately, Fire Marshal Bucca never came back out of the World Trade Center. He became the first law enforcement fire marshal to be killed in the line of duty in the United States when the towers collapsed. Since his death, only one other law enforcement fire marshal has been killed in the line of duty: Staff Chief Bryan Zollner, of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, was killed in an automobile accident while en route to an out-of-state meeting.

The next time you see one of your local law enforcement fire marshals stop them and thank them for what they do. Although it's not a "traditional" law enforcement job, it's one that is not without risk.
Posted by Chris Cosgriff at 11:10 AM
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