Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.)

32 Comments

From the desk of Madeline Neumann, National President of Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc.:

Dear Chapter Representative and Fellow Survivor,

 

National C.O.P.S. can no longer sit by and watch the law enforcement profession in this country be vilified, targeted and executed. We need to act NOW. The Board and our wonderful staff have prepared a national campaign to show support of all law enforcement. C.O.P.S. has declared Friday, January 9th as Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.). “It’s a New Year, Let’s Take the L.E.A.D.!” We need your help!

 

C.O.P.S. is partnering with national law enforcement associations to kick off a L.E.A.D. Campaign. We will provide you with a list of organizations that have agreed to partner with us just as soon as we have it. I have attached an outline of the campaign along with ways your chapter can participate. You may also be creative in your response. We are sure you have good ideas. Realizing that the office will be closed for the holidays through January 1st, if you have any question after today you can reach out to your Trustee or any national Board member.

 

Together we can make a difference. We need to sway public opinion of law enforcement before any more officers are killed. Police officers are NOT the enemy!

 

 

32 thoughts on “Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.)”

  1. Need to produce stickers, decals and signs. One of the participating organizations should produce PSAs to get this in front of the public. Newspapers will feature the event it it’s put in front of them. Call Fox news. Get the word out in every form possible.

  2. Edgar Rodriguez
    Vendor Risk Management – CISA

    What most people do not understand if there was a major civil unrest in the US it would take the National Guard 3 days to mobilize. Our police are the first responders and their role is just as important as our troops in Afghanistan. It would be our LEOs who would have to hold down the fort until the cavalry arrived.

  3. As a prior law enforcement officer, I find this a very meaningful gesture. I believe this show of support of our law enforcement’s courage and dedication is just what they need. “Go Blue”!

  4. Can someone come up with a “generic” support letter as a pony for locals to send to their local departments? How about engaging local/State FOP lodges and have communities pay for “HOT DOG DAY” for local law enforcement appreciation. Any thing will help.

  5. To garner the most support, this movement should be vocally supported by as many “pro-police” elected officials and community leaders as possible, which in turn will gain the news networks’ attentions.

    Also, the posting of related events on the major social networks such as Facebook and Twitter are a must. They will help spread the word exponentially!

  6. David Rice, MA CJ
    Patrol Sergeant

    Not to be a Grinch but the problem with this and other initiatives such as “hug a cop day” and the recent show a blue light to show support law enforcement is they give cover for those who do not support us or openly hostile to us to say they have done something to support us.

  7. Jose J. Blanco
    Special Contract Investigator/Federal Criminal Supervision Consultant/Criminal Defense Investigator

    It should be every day, but I can understand how overexposure tends to dilute issues… This past Monday we had a support LEO demonstration in Miami, FL. This, despite seven blacks having been shot by the police in separate incidents during the last year…not to mention the historically troubling reputation by Miami’s finest…

  8. David Rice, MA CJ
    Patrol Sergeant

    Jose, I think you are missing my point. In a time when many are expressing support for protests that call for the killing of police officers including elected leaders such as the Mayor of New York are allowed to do token things such as put out blue lights to cover their real actions and feelings.

  9. Jose J. Blanco
    Special Contract Investigator/Federal Criminal Supervision Consultant/Criminal Defense Investigator

    My comment was not in response to yours. I just read your post and I note that not much progress is achieved by finding ulterior motive even with statements of support…

  10. Angela McMinn
    Parole Opposition specialist

    Our organization is one of the groups, partnering with C.O.P.S to put this together, Officer Down Memorial Page I have spent all evening forwarding the information to various media outlets. I hope Officers find they have more support than they ever dreamed. I hope finally America will stand up and with a very Loud Voice say Thank you to our officers

  11. Robert Hudecek
    Law enforcement information technology field specialist. Proficient in database management and security.

    I think we in the law enforcement community need to use our resources better. We need to use social media and regular media to inform the citizens we protect and serve how and why things are done in certain ways. Standing back and remaining silent when things happens is no longer the way things should be. The other side is using these media sources to get a jump on the spin the media will put on certain incidents. Law enforcement can and should do the same thing. It all starts with education and participation with the public. This is not how things are done traditionally in law enforcement however sometimes tradition needs to evolve with the times. My humble opinion.

  12. Dave Fischer
    Advertising Director at association of retired police officers

    My personal opinion………EVERYDAY, should be Law Enforcement Appreciation Day……EVERYONE, in addition to appreciating the sacrifice that our men and women in the military make for our freedom…..should also appreciate the sacrifice that we, in law enforcement make on their behalf as well……..May GOD bless all our military personnel at home and abroad, and all our serving law enforcement officers as well. GOD bless them all, everyday, as well.

  13. Bruce Levinson
    Vigilance

    David…people have short memories.
    On metro buses let a banner go throughout the cities reminding that

    Law Enforcement risks its family to save your children.

    Every year.
    A must do.
    Project F.O.P.

  14. Richard Martin
    Assistant Professor & Program Director – Adult Studies in Criminal Justice at Keuka College

    David, I believe that your last comment hits the true mark. The ripple effect that bad police actions have should be reiterated to all police professionals. Research tells us that attitudes toward police are mostly shaped by personal interaction and not the media (thank the good Lord). This means that simple actions can go a long way and losing the egos would be a good place to start. As a patrol supervisor I spent a lot of time answering complaints against my folks who made a good and legitimate arrest but would not take the time to tell mom why junior was being taken away in handcuffs. When asked why, some officers would say, “I don’t have to tell her why I’m doing my job.” While that is technically correct, just taking that extra minute can make a big difference. Any incident caught on cell cameras today can be posted and taken completely out of context which paints law enforcement in a bad light. We all need to understand that we have the obligation to educate the public. That is our biggest tool that I have found toward increasing a positive reputation and, thus, relationships.

  15. Deidra Franco
    Speical Agent at OIG

    I agree with you Mr. Martin! I think that interactions between the Police and the community (Brown & Black) can be improved by simply showing a level of respect to those involved such as parents as you mentioned. I’ve found that in conducting investigations I’ve gotten more assistance from the community by simple being courteous especially to the elderly in the neighborhood.

    I’ve been doing this for 11 years and have found that having a nasty ego when dealing with the public doesn’t go along way. I think there is always going to be a struggle between the Police and “the Community” .

  16. Clayton Stelter
    Deputy Sheriff, LASD

    We show the community the numbers and they still want to believe we are brutal militaristic authoritarians. We need our own PR push that puts out the facts and refutes the hate mongers. This appreciation day is much appreciated (pun intended) but can we couple it with some numbers/facts in order to “educate” the public?

  17. Eddie Hill
    Compliance Consultant at CSC – Computer Sciences Corporation

    It sounds like the focus of “some” police officers is to be worshiped simply because they have a tough job. However, a police officer should not expect to be thanked, nor should believe they are above the people they serve. The motto is to SERVE and PROTECT and not feel they should be appreciated for putting themselves in harms way. Its the job “you/they/I signed up for. Nor should be look the other way or not speak up when we wrong doing in the ranks……keeping quiet makes us no better that the worst of those we interact with. Just saying

  18. Jose J. Blanco
    Special Contract Investigator/Federal Criminal Supervision Consultant/Criminal Defense Investigator

    This recent partial article “What Statistics Say About Policing America,” by Kent Osband provides the statistical analysis making the point this subject is about more than political correctness…

    Federal statistics report 43 million blacks or African-Americans in the U.S. and 630,000 police officers, or about 68 blacks per officer. Combining that with the 11-to-1 homicide ratio suggests that police are six times as likely to be killed by black civilians than black civilians are to be killed by police.

    A parallel calculation suggests a yearly average of 530 killings of nonblacks by police officers and 27 killings of police officers by nonblacks for a ratio of nearly 20 to 1. There are about 430 nonblacks per police officer. Hence police are 22 times as likely to be killed by nonblack civilians than nonblack civilians are to be killed by police.

    Now let’s consider the inferences that can reasonably be drawn from these statistics. In risk of being killed, U.S. police officers have substantially more to fear from the public—white or black—than the public has to fear from police. Yet the juxtaposition suggests that the police respond far more defensively to blacks (a 1-to-6 homicide ratio) than to whites (a 1-to-22 homicide ratio). African-Americans would correctly perceive the police as three to four times quicker to pull a lethal trigger against them than against whites.

    Police officers naturally take a different perspective. While blacks are 14% of the U.S. population, they account for 47% of killings of police. Given a random sample, blacks are 5.6 times as likely as nonblacks to kill a police officer. This likely causes officers to act more defensively with unfamiliar blacks than with unfamiliar nonblacks.

  19. David Rice, MA CJ
    Patrol Sergeant

    After reading Osband’s article (which can be found at: http://www.wsj.com/articles/kent-osband-what-statistics-say-about-policing-america-1420411320) I am not so sure about the underlying numbers which are based on Department of Justice which are thought to be low. There are several comments that follow the article which in my mind contain some valid criticisms.
    Again as we have been saying the issue is more in the perception than fact. I also agree with Richard about needing to explain why we are doing things. I have found simply explaining things solves many issues.

  20. Richard Martin
    Assistant Professor & Program Director – Adult Studies in Criminal Justice at Keuka College

    I would suggest caution in looking solely at percentages and ratios as there are so many factors involved in such incidents that simple statitics do not adequately capture all of those variables. In police involved shootings, like all valid police use of force, is a reaction to something that the officer perceives is a threat to him/her or someone else. Thankfully, the courts have held to the standard of the perception of the officer and not the hindsight of anyone else. The science is still building on what exactly happens to officers in high-stress situations. Yet, the media tries to insinuate that we can all reach valid conclusions about a situation based on a clip shown (or heard) on the news. It seems that we are all gravitating toward the need to educate the public (go on the offensive). Give them the reality in a proactive way rather than wait for the next Ferguson type event and be on the defensive.

  21. manny khushalani
    Independent Arts and Crafts Professional

    “The Law Enforcement should be separate” The President, Attorney General, Mayor of N;Y; & Civil Right Leaders want change in [Criminal Justice] Jury system, [Law Enforcement] Police Department because they are not fair to Black. Now the Holder is telling that The Judiciary Department [Judges] & Senators have no any authoritarian to stop the [Deportation & Immigration order by ] president’s executive power. {All these leaders are creating more Discrimination, (dividing Black & White).

  22. Neill (Stanford) Franklin
    Board Member at Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation

    Peelian Principles of Policing

    PRINCIPLE 1 “The basic mission for which the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder.”
    PRINCIPLE 2 “The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police actions.”
    PRINCIPLE 3 “Police must secure the willing cooperation of the public in voluntary observance of the law to be able to secure and maintain the respect of the public.”
    PRINCIPLE 4 “The degree of cooperation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity of the use of physical force.”
    PRINCIPLE 5 “Police seek and preserve public favor not by catering to the public opinion but by constantly demonstrating absolute impartial service to the law.”
    PRINCIPLE 6 “Police use physical force to the extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient.”
    PRINCIPLE 7 “Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.”
    PRINCIPLE 8 “Police should always direct their action strictly towards their functions and never appear to usurp the powers of the judiciary.”
    PRINCIPLE 9 “The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it.”

    One thing quite evident about these basic policing principles is the importance of public approval. They clearly indicate the we “the police” are the public and the public are the police. Principle #4 states; “The degree of cooperation of the public that can be secured diminishes proportionately to the necessity of the use of physical force.” And principle #2 states; “The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police actions.” At the moment, a very large portion of the public do not approve of police actions; therefore, this is a serious problem. And as a result, public cooperation is at an all time low, to a point of pushing back.

    We all know the value or problems with statistics. The user can generally make them reflect whatever they desire. The key here is perception. Perception is real for those protesting the actions of police and what I find interesting is that many police officers, mainly those in patrol, know much of the concerns to be true. We know that one bad deed committed at the hands of a police officer (those entrusted and placed into positions of authority by the public to serve and protect) will over shadow 100 good deeds. Would that bad deed (cursing at a citizen, abusing a citizen, beating a cuffed prisoner, illegal search, arrest without probable cause, planting evidence, etc.) have the power it does if we policed ourselves on the spot, calling out those committing the act? Do we believe the camaraderie to be more important than our oaths of office and justice? Do we believe that going along to get along is more important than doing right by our communities? Is this integrity?

    If we properly policed ourselves, and I am not referring to IAU investigations, I mean at the street level – sergeant to officer, officer to officer, and if we talked to folks at the street level (explained to citizens on the scene of police action what was occurring and why) we would not be where we are today.

    It’s nice to be appreciated, but the public does not owe us anything for the profession we have chosen. We owe the public a service. We have taken an oath to protect them and to serve them, which means listening to them, explaining to things to them and respecting them. If you desire to be respected, then first serve.

  23. David Lyons, MBA
    Author of Police Business Advisor

    Stanford I think you summed it up the best I have seen so far! Building enduring relationships in our communities is the only way to add goodwill to the well (quoting our new chief for the most part). Stepping away from the principles you listed makes that job tougher to take on.

  24. Neill (Stanford) Franklin
    Board Member at Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation

    Thanks David. One thing we fail to appropriately discuss is how policies influence policing. In many cases, we have placed police officers into the business of “morality policing,” enforcing laws governing consensual adult behavior. Our drug laws are a prime example of this. We all want fewer children using drugs. We all want fewer people addicted to drugs. But to travel down the very same road of prohibition as we did in the 20s with alcohol was not the best solution.

    All of these drugs were at one time legal and what we should have done was regulate them for adult and medical use, but we drove them underground into the shadows creating a very lucrative business for organized crime and neighborhood gangs. The irony is not only have drugs become more plentiful, available and potent under policies of prohibition, but we have decimated communities in attempts to enforce these laws. We have torched all hopes of developing positive relationships with poor communities, mainly poor communities of color.

    This illegal business, which is here to stay until we end it, creates the violent drug dealers that we in law enforcement fear. This fear contributes to us sometimes policing on edge, leading to aggressive tactics. It leads to treading upon the edges of the 4th Amendment, as we search anyone appearing “suspicious.”

    Well, why don’t people obey the law and not sell drugs? As long as the unemployment rate is what it is, extremely high in the black community, forget about it! People will do what they must to survive, and even if jobs were available, many people have been saddled with drug related records and not employable under current conditions. And as long as we have people addicted to drugs, someone will sell drugs. Demand dictates supply.

    This is just one example of policies in need of rethinking and change. Solving our policing problems will not be easy, there is no panacea, but ending the drug war will certainly help. Steering clear of similar policies in the future will also help. Imagine if alcohol, the most problematic drug know to society, were still prohibited. I thank God that it isn’t.

  25. Richard Martin
    Assistant Professor & Program Director – Adult Studies in Criminal Justice at Keuka College

    Neill, there is certainly validity to what you stated but perhaps not all of it. Certainly we need to establish relationships with the communities we serve but what are relationships based on? This goes to your last post as well. The war on drugs has had a significant impact on the way policing is done today as well as on the types of crimes that exist in the US and around the world as Americans feed their insatiable appetite for illicit mind-altering substances. That is likely having significant negative consequences on the establishing of substantial positive relationships between the police and the communities. But the issue goes deeper than supply and demand. It is a lack of value congruence in many aspects as the police are tasked with enforcing laws when there are large parts of American society who do not subscribe to the value system that those laws are based on.

    Returning to the drug issue, there is no empirical evidence that the main driver for the poor selling drugs is to survive. It was my experience that the majority of drug dealers that I encountered dealt drugs either to emulate the lifestyle of the drug dealer, or as a means to make money without having the burden of an actual job. If you actually had a legitimate job, you were labeled a “chump.” The argument for more opportunities in America’s cities is confusing to me as there as several million people who travel into the cities across the US for the economic opportunities.

  26. manny khushalani
    Independent Arts and Crafts Professional

    The Civil Right Leaders & Mayor of N.Y. should be teaching that more than 200 Billions are casting to USA citizens for treating the gun shot Victims.”Mostly Blacks are shooting their own”. The Mayor should be visiting Schools to bring the change in system, many boys are walking with their pants down, “Disrespecting Law Enforcement Officers”, Using (Sale) drugs, carrying guns, Steeling Cars & instate of getting Higher Education, they will end in person or accidentally shot by police officers.

  27. Chuck Georgo
    Public Safety and Cyber Security Strategist, Intelligence/Fusion Center SME, Business Analyst, Enterprise Architect

    In addition to L.E.A.D, I propose we have a day to get C.T.T.B.C.O.TY! (Communities to take better care of they’re youth). While building relationships with communities is certainly an important tool for effective policing, I question the efficacy of what actually happens in most relationships. I know some good things are happening, but are we giving them the tools to better police themselves? Peel’s principle #3 specifically speaks to this – I ask that you read what I said about this last November here –> https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141128203829-246842-police-chief-explodes-on-protesters-emotion-ensues?trk=mp-reader-card

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