This was an honor and a privilege to photograph this special event to support families of fallen officers. Each year we lose so many in the line of duty who are there to make sure we can sleep soundly at night. Left behind are their family and friends with a huge piece missing in their lives.
COPS (Concerns for Police Survivors) is an incredible organization designed to offer support to those families trying to cope with this devastation. Below is their mission statement taken from their website:
About Colorado C.O.P.S.
Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. (COPS) contributes to the emotional and psychological well-being of the surviving family – the most hauntingly difficult aspect of the aftermath of sudden, tragic, often violent, line-of-duty death. Through our National Board, local Chapters, and national network of survivors, COPS is able to contact a newly-bereaved surviving family – sometimes within just days of the death. It helps the new survivors to see people who have survived the devastation, thus providing a feeling of hope.
Our Mission
The Mission Statement of C.O.P.S. reflects the strong belief that assistance, guidance, understanding, compassion, empathy, and hope for the future for the survivors of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty begins with a caring, prepared agency.
While no person and no agency can be fully prepared for the trauma a law enforcement death inflicts, there are many things an agency can do to prepare for this possibility that will lessen chaso that follows an officer death. Therefore, C.O.P.S. offers various programs and services for law enforcement survivors, as well as training, reference materials, and guidance for agencies.
C.O.P.S. also believes that a law enforcement death affects not only the surviving family and the agency, but the community as well.
For more information on how you can help or if you know someone who might beneifit from an organization like this please visit their website at http://www.coloradocops.org/index.html. Below is a slide show from the event we photographed, Kilometers for COPS. It is held once a year and is a great opportunity to help support this worthwhile cause.