Featured Sponsor
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 Concerns of Police Survivors has been awarded the "Best in America" seal of approval from Independent Charities of America. |
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C.O.P.S. 2011-2012 National Board
 Concerns of Police Survivors held elections during National Police Week for the National Board. The new board for the 2011-2012 term will lead the organization through its 28th year. Pictured Left to Right: Andy Powell, Pacific Region Trustee; Cathy Hill, Mountain Region Trustee; Paul Gertsen, Plains Region Trustee; Jean Hill, Immediate Past President; Linda Moon Gregory, National President; Emilio Miyares, Gulf Region Trustee; Trina Scott, Southern Seaboard Region Trustee; Richard Cheney, Northern Seaboard Region Trustee; and Paul Armitage, Northeast Region Trustee. |
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C.O.P.S. Distinguished Service Award
 On May 14 at the National Police Survivors' Conference, a surprised Suzie Sawyer, Co-founder and Executive Director of C.O.P.S., was awarded Concerns of Police Survivors' highest recognition, the Distinguished Service Award. Every year the award is given to an individual who has shown exemplary support to law enforcement survivors and advocated for police survivor issues. Since 1984, Suzie's leadership has helped C.O.P.S. grow to a nationally-recognized organization serving 15,000 families, operating 52 chapters across the country. Suzie has dedicated her life to being a champion of survivors' issues, fighting hard for survivors' rights and benefits. Suzie Sawyer's 27 years of compassionate service are the reason C.O.P.S. exists today. No one is more deserving of C.O.P.S. Distinguished Service Award than Suzie Sawyer. |
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Todd Ricks Memorial Award for Volunteerism
 Carol Miller was presented with the Todd Ricks Memorial Award for Volunteerism during the National Police Survivors' Conference on May 16. The award is given to an individual whose volunteer services to the organization have contributed greatly to C.O.P.S.' programs. 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. Carol Miller has volunteered on the National Police Week Planning Committee for 20 years taking care of young surviving children so their parents can attend the National Police Survivors' Conference. Every second of time Carol Miller has given to support C.O.P.S. and America's surviving law enforcement families has been volunteer time. She is most deserving of this recognition. |
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Arizona C.O.P.S. Named Chapter of the Year
 The 2011 Chapter of the Year was awarded to Arizona C.O.P.S. during National Police Week. Arizona C.O.P.S. had six line-of-duty deaths in 2010 and started hosting a Candlelight Vigil after the officer's death. The chapter provides a care package to survivors during the funeral. The chapter always has a representative at hearings and trials. They have an annual Run to Remember with nearly 700 people attending. Arizona C.O.P.S. goes above and beyond the 15% chapter tithe and has given generously to National C.O.P.S. since the initiation of their Fallen Officer license plate, which has netted the Chapter $249,000 since its inception. Congratulations to Arizona C.O.P.S.! |
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Law Enforcement United Donates $135,000 to C.O.P.S. at 2nd Annual Road to Hope Ride
 As 265 bicyclists arrived at the Pentagon Memorial in Washington, DC, on May 12, 2011, after a 3-day, 250-mile journey from Chesapeake, Virginia, there were tears, hugs, and congratulations on completing the 2nd annual Road to Hope Ride. The bicyclists were all members of Law Enforcement United and they rode with flags bearing the pictures of the 2010 fallen officers affixed to their bicycles. Law Enforcement United's goal was to honor the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty and support the survivors left behind. The ride raised funds for Concerns of Police Survivors and Officer Down Memorial Page, presenting C.O.P.S. with a check for $135,000 and ODMP with a $50,000 check. |
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Streamlight Presents C.O.P.S. with $115,000 at National Police Week
 On May 14, Streamlight presented Concerns of Police Survivors with a $100,000 donation. They also gave C.O.P.S. a $15,000 check from a $1 donation for each sale of their blue nano light. |
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Sent out in Style for Retirement
National Police Week 2011 will always hold a special place in Suzie Sawyer's heart. With her retirement date on May 16, 2011, Suzie can look back on the past 27 years with pride on the organization she built... Concerns of Police Survivors. Throughout the week, Suzie was recognized by many for her dedication to America's law enforcement survivors.
She was awarded Concerns of Police Survivors' highest recognition, the Distinguished Service Award. The award was renamed in her honor and is now the "Suzie Sawyer Distinguished Service Award". She was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by Craig Floyd at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Chairman's Dinner. An American flag was flown over the United State Capitol in honor of Suzie on May 15. Suzie was honored by the C.O.P.S. National Board as she was given a lifetime title "C.O.P.S. Executive Director Emeritus". Suzie received proclamations declaring "Suzie Sawyer Day" in Camdenton, MO and Cambria County, PA.
The evening of May 14 brought out a circus, literally... the Suzie Sawyer Circus was held for her retirement party. There were clowns, jugglers, contortionists, a magician, and lots of fun games, a fitting event for the larger-than-life personality of Suzie. Everyone was able to reminisce and congratulate Suzie on her much-deserved retirement.
Mariah Hughes will succeed Suzie Sawyer as the new Chief Executive Officer. "The organization, with Mariah at the helm, will continue to challenge survivors to keep healing and experience great personal growth through this wonderful organization known as C.O.P.S.," concluded Sawyer. Concerns of Police Survivors will forever be Suzie Sawyer's legacy.
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Positive Force Award
Horace Small, a strong corporate supporter of Concerns of Police Survivors, recognizes those who truly go above and beyond the call of duty with the Positive Force Award. This year Horace Small afforded Suzie Sawyer, C.O.P.S. retiring Executive Director, to choose the recipient, a long-time friend of Concerns of Police Survivors, David Baldwin of the US Marshals Service. David has worked the Command Post during National Police Week and served on the National Police Week Planning Committee for nearly 20 years and then stepped to the plate to coordinate the Command Post for the past 10 years. David Baldwin goes above and beyond for Concerns of Police Survivors during National Police Week and deserves Horace Small's Positive Force Award.
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2011 Hands-On Program Dates and Registration Deadlines
Kids Camp: July 25-31, 2011
Salvation Army Lake Camp, East Troy, WI
Registration Deadline: June 25, 2011
Outward Bound: July 24-31, 2011
White-water rafting, Grand Junction, CO
Registration Deadline: June 24, 2011
Fiances/Significant Others Retreat: August 26-29, 2011
YMCA Trout Lodge, Potosi, MO
Registration Deadline: July 26, 2011
Siblings Retreat: September 9-12, 2011
YMCA Trout Lodge, Potosi, MO
Registration Deadline: August 9, 2011
Spouses Retreat: September 23-26, 2011
YMCA Trout Lodge, Potosi, MO
Registration Deadline: August 23, 2011
In-Laws Retreat: October 14-17, 2011
YMCA Trout Lodge, Potosi, MO
Registration Deadline: September 14, 2011
Parents Retreat: October 28-31, 2011
C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center, Little Rock, AR
Registration Deadline: September 28, 2011
Affected Co-Workers Retreat: November 4-7, 2011
YMCA Trout Lodge, Potosi, MO
Registration Deadline: October 4, 2011
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C.O.P.S. 5th Annual Golf Tournament
 The C.O.P.S. National Golf Tournament hosted by the Missouri Conservation Agents Association will be held Sunday, August 14, at Old Kinderhook Golf Course in mid Missouri near the National C.O.P.S office. All proceeds from this event are earmarked to underwrite the Surviving Spouses Retreat on September 23-26, 2011. You can be part of this fundraising effort for C.O.P.S. in a very special way! Special "In Memory Of Flags" with a fallen officer's picture, name, End of Watch, and agency can be displayed on the golf course honoring their supreme sacrifice. July 15 is the FIRM DEADLINE to purchase this special commemorative flag. Don't miss out on this opportunity to honor your fallen loved one and at the same time support Concerns of Police Survivors. |
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Board/Chapter Training: Registration Deadline is June 14
C.O.P.S. will hold a mandatory training for its 52 chapters nationwide July 14-17, 2011, at YMCA Trout Lodge in Potosi, MO, to discuss and learn about the paperwork required of chapters, issues volunteers need to know about running a nonprofit organization, and how to develop a healthy C.O.P.S. Chapter. Attendance is restricted to chapter representatives and pre-registration is mandatory. Click here to register.
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Testimonial
It is with great reluctance that I say I am blessed to be a member of the C.O.P.S. organization, since it has two very distinct meanings. The first meaning is that I have had to live with great pain and sadness for many years over the death of my father, Maryland State Trooper Ted Wolf, when I was 11 years old. The second meaning is that C.O.P.S. has helped me over many obstacles which arose that a young boy transitioning into early adulthood and faced with the sudden loss and absence of his father would encounter. Without C.O.P.S., I would have never made it through those difficult times or made the friends and companions that are in my life today. The support I have received throughout the years have helped me overcome many challenges in my life.
- Nick Wolf, surviving adult child of Corporal Theodore Wolf, Maryland State Police, End of Watch March 29, 1990
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