Free Officer Safety Training from Below 100

1943 and 1944 are significant years in law enforcement history not because of what did happened, but what didn't happen. They are the only two years over the past century in which line of duty deaths didn't reach 100. Although this milestone can almost certainly be attributed to the fact that most of America's men were busy fighting in WWII, getting line of duty deaths back below 100 is a goal every law enforcement officer can stand behind today.

Earlier this year the Below 100 was created by some of the leading law enforcement trainers in the nation. This training is absolutely free, and has been taught in major cities throughout the United States and Canada. ODMP has partnered with Below 100 to spread the word about this free training, as we are committed to completely eliminating preventable line of duty deaths.

Below 100 is finishing off the year with four back-to-back Train the Trainer workshops in three different states: Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Any law enforcement officer or training can sign up for these free officer safety training sessions, which include videos and sample policies that you can take back to your departments.

More information about these classes can be found on the Below 100 Events website.

Below 100 Train-the-Trainer Arkansas
Monday November 7, 2011
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST
University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute
7723 Col. Glenn Road
Little Rock, AR 72204
Register: http://tinyurl.com/3jhxkfh
Seats are filling fast. Register today!

Below 100 Train-the-Trainer Oklahoma
Tuesday November 8, 2011
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST
Oklahoma City Police Department
800 N. Portland Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73107
Register: http://tinyurl.com/5t9vfe8

Below 100 Train-the-Trainer Texas
Wednesday November 9, 2011
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST
El Centro College / Bill Priest Institute
1402 Corinth Street
Dallas, TX 75215
Register: http://tinyurl.com/3sdthwy

Below 100 Train-the-Trainer Texas
Thursday November 10, 2011
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST
Beckendorf Conference Center Lone Star College/Tomball
30555 Tomball Parkway
Tomball , TX 77375
Register: http://tinyurl.com/6jtueo5

Line of Duty Deaths on Halloween

Officer Timothy Brenton

Halloween is a day of celebration in which law officers stand extra vigilant to make sure no harm comes to all of the children who are out trick-or-treating. Halloween is also a day on which 53 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty, more than half of whom where shot and killed.

Sergeant Michael King

The two most recent incidents of Halloween line of duty deaths involved the most unthinkable murders of police officers. Sergeant Michael King, of the University City (Mo.) Police Department, and Officer Timothy Brenton, of the Seattle (Wash.) Police Department, slain in 2008 and 2009 respectively, were gunned down from ambush, in unprovoked attacks, while keeping the streets safe for children.

Sheriff Raymond Warf

Seemingly harmless Halloween pranks can also have a deadly result. On Halloween in 1970, Letcher County, Kentucky, Sheriff Raymond Warf responded to a call involving a group of men attempting to dismantle a bridge as part of a prank. When he arrived, the men became combative and Sheriff Warf suffered a fatal heart attack.

The three fallen officers mentioned above are just three of the 53 law enforcement who have died on Halloween serving their communities. Visit the ODMP to read more about these heroes.

This Halloween, while you are keeping your community's children safe, please be sure to keep yourself safe too! Download ODMP's newest officer safety poster now to post in your roll call room.

Police Deaths on Halloween:

Assault: 1
Automobile accident: 3
Drowned: 2
Explosion: 1
Gunfire: 32
Gunfire (Accidental): 2
Heart attack: 1
Motorcycle accident: 1
Stabbed: 1
Struck by train: 1
Struck by vehicle: 4
Vehicle pursuit: 1
Vehicular assault: 3

United States Postal Inspection Service: Protecting the Postal System

ODMP staff had the privilege of being invited to visit the United States Postal Inspection Service's Training Academy in Potomac, Maryland. Every new Postal Inspector and Postal Police Officer attends this FLETA accredited academy, which offers a complete curriculum customized for the unique needs of the USPIS. Numerous other federal agencies take advantage of its proximity to Washington, DC, and use the facility for in-service training.

Postal Inspector Jennifer McDaniel (L) and
ODMP's Executive Director Chris Cosgriff at the USPIS Academy

Originally created by Benjamin Franklin in 1772, the United States Postal Inspection Service is the oldest federal law enforcement agency in the country and even predates the formation of the United States. Over the past 200+ years, Postal Inspectors and Postal Police Officers have been protecting postal employees, postal customers, and the postal system from abuses by criminals.

This fight has come at a steep price, claiming the lives of 12 Postal Inspectors and one Postal Police Officer. The Postal Service's Office of Inspector General, which is a separate and distinct agency from the USPIS, has also suffered one line of duty death.

These brave men will always be remembered for their service and sacrifice in protecting America's laws. Click on their names to view their full memorials.

Postal Inspector Charles Fitzgerald - Shot and killed in Clinton, Mississippi, September 23, 1908.

Postal Inspector Elbert Lamberth - Shot and killed in Stantonville, Tennessee, August 16, 1917.

Postal Inspector in Charge George Daniel - Drowned near Logan, Utah, September 1, 1919.

Postal Inspector Levi Chance - Accidentally shot and killed in Savannah, Georgia, February 14, 1923.

Postal Inspector Walter Ton - Killed in a plane crash near Bozeman, Montana, January 10, 1938.

Postal Inspector Finton McMahon - Fell while conducting an investigation in Akron, Ohio, August 1, 1939.

Postal Inspector Ernest Harkins - Shot and killed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, January, 12, 1949.

Postal Inspector Bruce Shaffer - Auto accident in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, August 31, 1951.

Investigative Aide Benedetto Spizzirri and Investigative Aide John McAuliffe - Shot and killed in Chicago, Illinois, March 14, 1960.

Police Officer Michael Healy - Shot and killed in Chicago, Illinois, June 21, 1981.

Postal Inspector Terrance Asbury - Auto accident in Los Angeles, California, February 3, 1990.

Postal Inspector Robert Jones - Auto accident in Bowie, Maryland, July 14, 2000.

Special Agent Greg Boss (USPS OIG) - Auto accident in Arapahoe County, Colorado, November 8, 2005.