Line-of-duty deaths surge nearly 40 percent; firearms-related killings increase by more than 20 percent for second year in a row
December 27, 2010
Washington, DC– The number of U.S. law enforcement fatalities spiked by 37 percent in 2010—an alarming increase that follows two years of declining deaths among our nation’s policing professionals. A total of 160 federal, state and local law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the past 12 months, according to preliminary data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF). This represents a dramatic increase over the 117 officer fatalities in 2009, which marked a 50-year low. Fifty-nine officers have been shot and killed during the past year, which is a 20 percent increase over the 49 killed by gunfire in 2009. Ten of the officers shot to death this year were killed in separate multiple-death incidents in Fresno (CA), San Juan (PR), West Memphis (AR), Tampa (FL) and Hoonah (AK). “A more brazen, cold-blooded criminal element is on the prowl in America, and they don’t think twice about killing a cop,” observed NLEOMF Chairman Craig W. Floyd.“Our law enforcement officers are being asked to do more today with less, and it is putting their lives at risk,” declared Mr. Floyd. “In addition to their conventional crimefighting responsibilities, our law officers are on the front lines in the war against terror here at home. Yet, there are fewer officers on the street and other precious resources, such as training and equipment dollars, are also being cut as a result of the economic downturn,” he explained.Traffic-related incidents remained the number one cause of death among our nation’s law enforcement officers for the 13th consecutive year. Seventy-three officers have been killed in traffic-related incidents this year, compared to 51 in 2009, representing a 43 percent increase. Of the 73 traffic-related deaths this year, 50 occurred during automobile crashes, 16 officers were struck and killed while outside of their own vehicles, six died in motorcycle crashes and one bike patrol officer was struck by a vehicle.In addition to the officers killed by firearms or in traffic-related incidents, 19 officers died as a result of job-related illnesses, two were beaten, two drowned, two officers suffered fatal falls, two died in aircraft crashes and one officer died in a boating accident.
About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund: Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a private non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America's law enforcement officers and to promoting officer safety. The NLEOMF maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, which contains the names of 18,983 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The Memorial Fund is now working to create the first-ever National Law Enforcement Museum, which will tell the story of law enforcement through high-tech, interactive exhibitions, historical artifacts and extensive educational programming. For more information, visit www.LawMemorial.org/.
About Concerns of Police Survivors: Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc., provides resources to assist in the rebuilding of the lives of surviving families and affected co-workers of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty as determined by Federal criteria. Furthermore, C.O.P.S. provides training to law enforcement agencies on survivor victimization issues and educates the public of the need to support the law enforcement profession and its survivors. For more information, visit www.nationalcops.org.
(from the NLEOMF website)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
2009 Annual Awards
2009 Vt. Police K-9 Citizen\Business Award
Dr. Bruce Legallais and the Eastwood Animal Clinic
For your generous financial contributions and outstanding veterinary care
to K-9 Mitch and continued support of the Vt. Police K-9 Program
2009 Vt. Police K-9 Citizen\Business Award
Dr. Kurt Kinney and the Brown Animal Hospital
For your generous financial contributions and outstanding veterinary care
to K-9 Mitch and continued support of the Vt. Police K-9 Program
2009 Vt. Police K-9 Citizen\Business Award
Curt Jacques II and West Lebanon Feed & Supply
For your generous contrbutions of food and equipment and continued support of the Vt. Police K-9 Program
Vt. Police K-9 Dedicated Service Award
VSP Sr. Trooper Michelle Leblanc
For your outstanding dedication to the Vt. Police K-9 Program through your work with the Lacey's Fund Race.
Vt. Police K-9 Dedicated Service Award
Colchester Officer Dave Dewey
For your outstanding dedication to the Vt. Police K-9 Program through your work with the Lacey's Fund Race
2009 Vt. Police K-9 Lifesaving Award
VSP Trooper Eugene Duplissis and K-9 Argus
Your actions on December 31, 2009 resulted in the find of an 11 year old female
that was found freezing cold after more than 3 hours out on a winter night
2009 Vt. Police K-9 Lifesaving Award
VSP Sr. Trooper Dan Trottier and K-9 Dasha
Your actions on August 31, 2009 resulted in the tracking find of a 10 year old austic child found unclothed in a stream who had been missing for several hours on a day where the temperatures declined into the 40s
2009 Vt. Police K-9 Lifesaving Award
U. S. Forestry Service Officer Kim Kinville and K-9 Noscha
Your actions on November 27, 2003 resulted in the find of a missing 17 year old who had been found hypothermic
after separating from her hunting party 12 hours prior in the Green Mountain National Forest.
2009 Vt. Police K-9 Apprehension of the Year
VSP Trooper Eugene Duplissis and K-9 Argus
Your actions of December 31, 2009 resulted in the find of a bank robber who was tracked from the scene of the crime to his motel room where the stolen money was located and the suspect was arrested.
2009 Vt. Police K-9 Patrol Team of the Year
VSP Sgt. Moe Lamothe and K-9 JC
For your outstanding proficiency in the area of police k-9 patrol tactics in both training
and on-duty deployments resulting in a command presence that exemplifies the ideal police k-9 patrol team.
2009 Vt. Police K-9 Drug Detection Team of the Year
Burlington Cpl. Wade Labrecque and K-9 Andre
For your outstanding proficiency in the area of police k-9 drug detection in both training and on-duty deployments resulting in 108 drug finds and over a hundred and twenty thousand dollars in narcotics and currency confiscated.
2009 Vt. Police K-9 Co-Tracking Team of the Year
VSP Sr. Trooper Dave White and K-9 Rolf
For your outstanding proficiency in the area of police k-9 tracking in both training
and on-duty deployments resulting in numerous high-profile tracking finds.
2009 Vt. Police K-9 Co-Tracking Team of the Year
VSP Sr. Trooper Clark Lombardi and K-9
For your outstanding proficiency in the area of police k-9 tracking in both training
and on-duty deployments resulting in numerous high-profile tracking finds.
2009 Vt. Police K-9 Team of the Year
Burlington Cpl. Wade Labrecque and K-9 Andre
For your outstanding proficiency in all areas of police k-9 functions in both training
and on-duty deployments resulting in over 250 police k-9 uses.
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Sheepdogs
by: Russ Vaughn2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment101st Airborne DivisionVietnam 65-66
Most humans truly are like sheep
Most humans truly are like sheep
Wanting nothing more than peace to keep
To graze, grow fat and raise their young,Sweet taste of clover on the tongue.
Their lives serene upon Life’s farm,
They sense no threat nor fear no harm.
On verdant meadows, they forage free
With naught to fear, with naught to flee.
They pay their sheepdogs little heed
For there is no threat; there is no need.
To the flock, sheepdog’s are mysteries,
To the flock, sheepdog’s are mysteries,
Roaming watchful round the peripheries.
These fang-toothed creatures bark, they roar
With the fetid reek of the carnivore,
Too like the wolf of legends told,
To be amongst our docile fold.
Who needs sheepdogs?
What good are they?
They have no use, not in this day.
Lock them away, out of our sight
We have no need of their fierce might.
But sudden in their midst a beast
But sudden in their midst a beast
Has come to kill, has come to feast
The wolves attack; they give no warning
Upon that calm September morning
They slash and kill with frenzied glee
Their passive helpless enemy
Who had no clue the wolves were there
Far roaming from their Eastern lair.
Then from the carnage, from the rout,
Comes the cry, “Turn the sheepdogs out!”
Thus is our nature but too our plight
Thus is our nature but too our plight
To keep our dogs on leashes tight
And live a life of illusive bliss
Hearing not the beast, his growl, his hiss.
Until he has us by the throat,
We pay no heed; we take no note.
Not until he strikes us at our core
Will we unleash the Dogs of War
Only having felt the wolf pack’s wrath
Do we loose the sheepdogs on its path.
And the wolves will learn what we’ve shown before;
And the wolves will learn what we’ve shown before;
We love our sheep, we Dogs of War.
Friday, January 15, 2010
More of our work from the field:
K9 Duke with Inspector Rick Moore assisted with the exterior sweep of a truck. A search warrant was granted, and 33 grams of marijuana was seized from numerous areas in the vehicle.
K9 Dascha with Trooper Dan Trottier located an autistic boy who had wondered off into the woods. The trail was well over 2 hours old. They tracked about a 1/4 mile to a brook. The boy was located 100 hundred yards up stream.
K9 Rufus with Warden Rob Sterling found 3 shell casings that had been fired at a bear, verifying the suspects story that they were legal in taking the bear. Later K9 Rufus was asked to find a shell casing fired 24 hours previous. Other people had looked for the casing with no luck. Rufus searched the area and located the casing in under 30 seconds. K9 Rufus also assisted in locating a patient that had run away. A ¾ mile track through the woods led them to the male who was found sleeping against a tree.
K9 Gally with Trooper Jeff Trudeau assisted on a motor vehicle stop. After a good alert and a search warrant, over 3 ounces of coke was located.
K9 Cairo with Trooper Clark Lombardi assisted another agency with locating an 18 year old suicidal subject. The subject attempted to cut himself with a knife before fleeing into the woods on foot. Cairo tracked from a sleeping bag, through a backyard, over a fence and into a field where he located the subject lying down.
K9 Bricks with Officer Post performed a crowd control function at a bar where a subject had been beaten unconscious. A crowd of 40-70 people refused to disperse, and actually started encroaching the Officers and EMTs. Later they responded to a 2 car crash where a female fled on foot. Bricks tracked over 1/4 mile on pavement and located female that had just been stopped by an officer.
K9 Capone and Officer Trent Martin located a missing 15 year old girl who had gotten into a fight. Capone tracked about 1/4-1/2 mile down the road when he pulled to the front door of a house belonging to a friend. They were called back for a report of the runaway being in the area. Capone started tracking near a woodline and the juvenile popped out of the woods.
K9 Andre with Officer Wade Labrecque alerted on a safe. Inside was $3000.00 cash, a pound and a half of marijuana and some XTC.
K9 Riggs and Sergeant Phelps assisted with a search warrant. K9 Riggs alerted on a safe, which had just over 1/2 pound of marijuana. They also located jars full of buds, another 1/2 pound and $1,800 in cash.
K9 Dascha and Trooper Trottier located a subject who had fled after a traffic stop. K9 Dascha found him crawled up behind a big rock, ¼ mile away.
K9 Kaiser and Officer Mark Redmond assisted with a drug search in a business. K9 Kaiser alerted on a safe, where they found an ounce of marijuana and an ounce of mushrooms. On top of the safe was a cooler that contained nine grams of marijuana.
K9 JC with Sgt. Moe Lamothe had a 1.5 hr old track after a pursuit in 19 degree weather. They tracked both on and off lead through a VERY thick swamp where 2 of the 3 were located separately.
K9 Rolf with Trooper Dave White assisted on a traffic stop. During the execution of a search warrant, they found over 3 ounces of marijuana.
K9 Bricks and Officer Post assisted at a robbery of a gas station. Bricks trailed to the rear of a multifamily dwelling and showed heavy interest on an exterior door which led to a basement. Male suspect was located hiding under piles of junk in the basement.
K9 Tinzer with Sergeant William Dodge assisted in locating a wanted male who fled from a traffic stop into the woods. K9 Tinzer tracked about 200-300 yards into the woods where they found the male hiding behind a tree.
K9 Dascha with Trooper Dan Trottier located an autistic boy who had wondered off into the woods. The trail was well over 2 hours old. They tracked about a 1/4 mile to a brook. The boy was located 100 hundred yards up stream.
K9 Rufus with Warden Rob Sterling found 3 shell casings that had been fired at a bear, verifying the suspects story that they were legal in taking the bear. Later K9 Rufus was asked to find a shell casing fired 24 hours previous. Other people had looked for the casing with no luck. Rufus searched the area and located the casing in under 30 seconds. K9 Rufus also assisted in locating a patient that had run away. A ¾ mile track through the woods led them to the male who was found sleeping against a tree.
K9 Gally with Trooper Jeff Trudeau assisted on a motor vehicle stop. After a good alert and a search warrant, over 3 ounces of coke was located.
K9 Cairo with Trooper Clark Lombardi assisted another agency with locating an 18 year old suicidal subject. The subject attempted to cut himself with a knife before fleeing into the woods on foot. Cairo tracked from a sleeping bag, through a backyard, over a fence and into a field where he located the subject lying down.
K9 Bricks with Officer Post performed a crowd control function at a bar where a subject had been beaten unconscious. A crowd of 40-70 people refused to disperse, and actually started encroaching the Officers and EMTs. Later they responded to a 2 car crash where a female fled on foot. Bricks tracked over 1/4 mile on pavement and located female that had just been stopped by an officer.
K9 Capone and Officer Trent Martin located a missing 15 year old girl who had gotten into a fight. Capone tracked about 1/4-1/2 mile down the road when he pulled to the front door of a house belonging to a friend. They were called back for a report of the runaway being in the area. Capone started tracking near a woodline and the juvenile popped out of the woods.
K9 Andre with Officer Wade Labrecque alerted on a safe. Inside was $3000.00 cash, a pound and a half of marijuana and some XTC.
K9 Riggs and Sergeant Phelps assisted with a search warrant. K9 Riggs alerted on a safe, which had just over 1/2 pound of marijuana. They also located jars full of buds, another 1/2 pound and $1,800 in cash.
K9 Dascha and Trooper Trottier located a subject who had fled after a traffic stop. K9 Dascha found him crawled up behind a big rock, ¼ mile away.
K9 Kaiser and Officer Mark Redmond assisted with a drug search in a business. K9 Kaiser alerted on a safe, where they found an ounce of marijuana and an ounce of mushrooms. On top of the safe was a cooler that contained nine grams of marijuana.
K9 JC with Sgt. Moe Lamothe had a 1.5 hr old track after a pursuit in 19 degree weather. They tracked both on and off lead through a VERY thick swamp where 2 of the 3 were located separately.
K9 Rolf with Trooper Dave White assisted on a traffic stop. During the execution of a search warrant, they found over 3 ounces of marijuana.
K9 Bricks and Officer Post assisted at a robbery of a gas station. Bricks trailed to the rear of a multifamily dwelling and showed heavy interest on an exterior door which led to a basement. Male suspect was located hiding under piles of junk in the basement.
K9 Tinzer with Sergeant William Dodge assisted in locating a wanted male who fled from a traffic stop into the woods. K9 Tinzer tracked about 200-300 yards into the woods where they found the male hiding behind a tree.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
2009 Iron Dog Video
A video of the 2009 Iron Dog competition can be viewed via this link: http://www.motionbox.com/videos/0097d1bf1314ecc68f
Saturday, December 26, 2009
More from our teams:
K9 Capone with Trent Martin alerted on a car stop which resulted in a warrant. During the search they found a bunch of ecstasy, marijuana, scales, and baggies.
K9 Casko and Michelle Leblanc assisted with 2 runaway kids. After almost 2 miles of tracking, their direction of travel led other officers to check a rest area where the kids were found in a truck.
K9 Akido with George Merkel alerted to a vehicle which led to a search warrant. The search revealed a 32 grams of cocaine, some crack, a little heroin, and a good pile of cash. A few weeks later another alert by Akido led to a search of a package where 5 pounds of marijuana was seized.
K9 Max and Jeremy Perkins assisted with seizing some marijuana and over $6200 in cash after a car strop.
K9 Maximus and Ed Hunter tracked a burglar from a convenience store into the woods down some railroad tracks. Suspect was quickly found and brought to jail.
K9 Odin with Travis Bingham assisted on a search warrant where 2.5 ounces of cocaine was found after Odin’s alert.
K9 Rolf and Dave White assisted with a sweep of a package. The search warrant yielded a pound of marijuana.
And sadly, K9 Sheba of the Massachusetts Environmental Police died at the age of 15. She had served faithfully with Terry Davis since 1996, retiring in 2006. Sheba was trained in tracking and wildlife detection. During her 10 year career she assisted at several incidents with tracks, venison finds, and demonstrations. I miss her too Terry.
K9 Casko and Michelle Leblanc assisted with 2 runaway kids. After almost 2 miles of tracking, their direction of travel led other officers to check a rest area where the kids were found in a truck.
K9 Akido with George Merkel alerted to a vehicle which led to a search warrant. The search revealed a 32 grams of cocaine, some crack, a little heroin, and a good pile of cash. A few weeks later another alert by Akido led to a search of a package where 5 pounds of marijuana was seized.
K9 Max and Jeremy Perkins assisted with seizing some marijuana and over $6200 in cash after a car strop.
K9 Maximus and Ed Hunter tracked a burglar from a convenience store into the woods down some railroad tracks. Suspect was quickly found and brought to jail.
K9 Odin with Travis Bingham assisted on a search warrant where 2.5 ounces of cocaine was found after Odin’s alert.
K9 Rolf and Dave White assisted with a sweep of a package. The search warrant yielded a pound of marijuana.
And sadly, K9 Sheba of the Massachusetts Environmental Police died at the age of 15. She had served faithfully with Terry Davis since 1996, retiring in 2006. Sheba was trained in tracking and wildlife detection. During her 10 year career she assisted at several incidents with tracks, venison finds, and demonstrations. I miss her too Terry.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Police Puppy Program
This is a picture of our newest member pup in our Police Puppy Program. Puppy Dreger came to us from North Carolina, and is being raised by a Troopper and his family in Rutland.
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