055 - Helping the Families of the Fallen: Tony Williams, National C.O.P.S.

In this episode, I'm talking to Tony Williams, Media Specialist for Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS), about the national organization's work with local chapters and the annual Police Week events in Washington, D.C. Tony shares his insights on how COPS helps families of fallen officers heal and rebuild their lives, and offers advice on how you can support their work. Don't miss this important conversation!

Resources:

• National COPS

Each year, hundreds of officers die in the line of duty and their families and co-workers are left to cope.  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 67,000 survivors.  Survivors include spouses, children, parents, siblings, significant others, and co-workers of officers who have died 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 Adventure for young adults, special retreats for spouses, parents, siblings, adult children, extended family, 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.

Music is by Chris Haugen

Hey Chaplain Podcast Episode 055