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| Have you or someone you know suffered career ending injuries or death from colliding with computers, consoles, weapons, roll bar cages and associated hardware? Would a side impact air bag have reduced injury severity or saved a life?
We constantly hear the testimonials of the values of ballistic vests, so why are we ignoring the values of common sense? We have officers commuting to and from work in the safest cars their money can buy, while working in one of the most dangerous work environments in America… a police cruiser! |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Please think about the following statement. I AM POLICEVET!
I've provided you, the former American law enforcement officer an chance to co-create a community about you, for you, and by you.
www.policevets.org is the place that everything about retirement, disability, injury prevention, aging, memories, desires, interests, fears and hopes should be woven into a fabric that is policevet. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| American Police Veterans must grow and by doing so we must reach out to the community we represent. We not only represent Disabled or Retired Law Enforcement Officers and Professionals, we represent the working or on duty LEOP’s, we represent the experienced LEOP’s who is injured and wants to go back to work; we represent the LEOP’s who are thinking about retiring as well as the LEOP’s who have retired regularly as this can be an extremely taxing and emotional time; and we represent the disabled, retired LEOP’s who struggle through every day life. We must remember that the disabled include those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Survivors Guilt. Finally, every Law Enforcement Officer Professional who has died in the line of duty IS a Police Veteran.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| The difference between a law enforcement officer or agent recieving a medal for bravery, a law enforcement officer being injured or disabled in the line of duty and the difference between a law enforcement officer or agent being killed is sometimes a very thin line. All of the Law Enforcement Officers and Agents who have died in the line of duty ARE Police Veterans.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| American Police Veterans has made a huge impact on officers suffering career ending injuries and their families. Many officers have gotten through the trauma, theft of pay and benefits, abandonment by fellow officers and unions with the help of their Policevet’s peers. Guns at the ready have been laid aside, when suicide seemed the only remedy. Families have stayed together because the injured officer had a place to work out problems, rather than take them out on family. Families have found the strength to continue the fight for a disability pension or worker's compensation as the bank was foreclosing on their home. They've fought and won!
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| I will share with you surprisingly that despite the (17) years of my living with disabilities and my over 300 plus fights with Businesses and Organizations, I have never screamed once but I have shed more than a few tears and required New and Constant Refills on my Medications.
As such, this seems like an Appropriate Time and Topic for the Month because I am currently in a fight with a Gasoline Service Station in the State of Kentucky.
Almost a year ago, I was with my friend and Physician; Dr. T.C. McDaniel travelling to Tennessee from Ohio. Not unlike some trips, we find ourselves needing to urgently use the restroom. So, because, I am both a Shell and BP Credit Card user, I decided to stop at one of those Stations. As we pulled in, I could clearly see that there was absolutely no resemblance to the ADA. I’ve leaned that in the past that equates to “your wheelchair ain’t gonna fit”
So, with the help of
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Well, as promised, as I said in my last Article, I would go more into
detail about Services, Benefits and Resources for those with Special
Needs.
As for me, after waiting for almost one year, my new Insurance provided
electric wheelchair arrived. It didn't have any cushions but despite that
and according to the invoice, it cost tax payers $22,000. I compared it
to buying a motorcycle in the early Winter, don't you want to be able to
enjoy it outside?
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Video tribute to fallen police officers who have died in the line of duty, an In memory of all deceased and disabled law enforcement officers. Lives cut short due to injury, occupational disease, sucicide, PTSD and from catestrophic career ending injuries. Features images from the www.badgeart.com collection by George Brown |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| People with disabilities should have the:
“The Least Restrictive Environment Possible”
Well, for me it all began in 1990 and it is now (17) years later and probably unlike the average person with a disability, I went out of my way to learn my rights and am now a very serious, professional and well known Disability and Civil Rights Advocate. Its just too bad, it doesn’t make any difference.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| I was in my 16th year when both my Lieutenant and Captain approached me. They stated that they believed I suffered from PTSD as a result of having been taken hostage some 5 years earlier. They stated they had received complaints of my being jumpy on gun calls. I had been taken Hostage and as I looked down the barrel the bad gut tried to pull the trigger. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| People...the public say that America's armed forces are working, fighting for America's freedom and rights on the front lines. Sadly, they are mistaken. The front lines they describe are thousands of miles away.
I remember the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center like it was yesterday...I was there; furthermore I remember the attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11/01...I was there, I had friends that were there...friends who were killed.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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http://uneflic.blogspot.com/2007/05/confessions-of-beat-cop.html
Dear Citizens, Neighbors, Friends and Family,
My name is Jill and I am a cop. That means that the pains and joys of my personal life are often muted by my work. I resent the intrusion but I
confuse my self with my job almost as often as you do. The label "police officer" creates a false image of who I really am. Sometimes I feel like I'm floating between two worlds. My work is not just
protecting and serving. It's preserving that ... |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Police officers need to promote healthy and truthful commentary on the effects of early-unplanned retirement due to career ending injuries. Throughout the country officers and their families are unprepared and will face a tough reality of few resources, little support and lost futures for their families.
The current retirement manta from the law enforcement media assumes a completed career on the heels of a pre retirement financial plan and adequate pension. It ignores the fact that injured officers suffering career ending injuries mirror those that die in the line of duty. They are young. Few die at the cusp of a retirement.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Mary's Story translated:
In the spring of 1985, Mary met a man, and as fate would chance, both wore the uniform of a peace officer. Mary was a girl protected most of her youth. Having been raised around law enforcement, she grew to be very trusting of most law enforcement officers.
Mary was youthful and curious, with an outgoing personality. After her appointment to the police academy she continued to be a lively personality, but always, conducted herself as a lady. For example, she knew little about the various types of illegal substances or what they looked like. In the Police academy she was taken under the wing of a DEA agent who taught her all about illegal substances. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| I can write in my police story draft for hours on end, but when it comes time to write something about you daddy. Words are difficult to express my life long feelings of love for you. Well, here goes anyway, I cant wait any longer, as your stay with us may be limited because of your life threatening illness. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| This story actually begins on December 13, 2000, in a south Texas prison 50 miles southeast of San Antonio. Where seven violent inmates, two of them convicted murderers would soon overpower a guard tower, confiscate an arsenal of weapons with ammo and make a daring escape in a white prison vehicle. A couple of days later near Houston, Texas, two of the escapees would rob a radio shack store for police scanners. For eleven days, they would evade detection by any law enforcement officer.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| As members of this www.AmericanPoliceVeterans.org and a lot of us being disabled, we need to help each other and ourselves by contacting our legislators. And to keep contacting them, even though they acknowledge our previous contact.
With numbers we can be strong, and numbers elect. As we know from our recent elections, every vote does indeed matter!!
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| American Police Veterans is seeking disabled and retired policeveterans to help Nnamdi Pole, Ph.D., a Professor at The University of Michigan is studying factors associated with both positive and negative post-retirement adjustment to police work. In order to participate, you need to be a retired officer who experienced at least one serious duty-related critical incident. Please Participate! |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| It is time to transform the law enforcment disability system from its adversarial role . Disabled police officers deserve a right to work law. The only disabled cop that should be forcibly seperated from the service due to incapacitating injury are those that have suffered catestrophic injury.
To all law enforcement officers, unions, legislators and the public to get behind the Mikes and our nation's disabled police officers with a helping hand, rather than a camera and a shive.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| People...the public say that America's armed forces are working, fighting for America's freedom and rights on the front lines. Sadly they are mistaken. The front lines they describe are thousands of miles away.
I remember the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center like it was yesterday...I was there; furthermore I remember the attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11/01...I was there, I had friends that were there...friends who were killed.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| I personally developed PTSD over the course of numerous critical incidents, shootings and threats to my life. Officer involved shootings, or OIS, is a high factor that can contribute to PTSD. There is the imminent fear for your life, the decision to take action, and the second guessing we do on ourselves on what could have been done different. Flashbacks commonly occur for years.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| What will you do when the unthinkable happens? Are you prepared? Day in and day out, we go to work and then we come home. Some days go by smooth while other days are a constant struggle just to make it home in one piece. When I refer to the unthinkable, I am referring to being injured in the line of duty. One can be injured physically or mentally from the traumatic events law enforcement officers face on a daily basis.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Sadly, I had occasion to read of the death of Toledo Police Detective Keith Dressel. American Police veterans offers our sincere condolences to the detectives family and to the Toledo community. I was made aware of his death when I read the article, "Ohio provides safety net for a fallen officer's loved ones." I'd like to address this article as it creates several false impressions. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Bridges of Hope for Families, Inc. is offering support for the families of law enforcement officers. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| American Police Veterans has a Patch design. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| American Police Veterans has a new look. The new Policevet's USA logo represents the themes American and Beyond the Shield into an exciting new image incorporating the police veteran's shield into the fabric of America's history and experience.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| 13 Minutes is deeply personal story of an honest, dedicated cop who
lived a nightmare. It's a story Blaine has burned to tell since the
night he chased and wrestled a suspected drug dealer who previously
assaulted another officer and fled from police. It's a story his
attorneys would not let Jorg tell as they dealt with lawsuit after
lawsuit in the wake of the death of Roger Owensby, Jr. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| The Pension Trap - Write you own Story. I'm Testing a new concept at Beyond The Shield.Write your own story around the image provided and post it as a comment. This Badgeart image is "The Pension Trap". The idea is that police officers can fall into any of several traps. Story ideas: Unprepared for retirement, Unprepared for disability, pushed into disability, pension or worker's compensation abuses. etc.
Post your story at Beyond The Shield or http://blog.policevets.net/2006/12/01/cops-helping-cops.aspxVisit: American Police Veterans ... |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Cops Helping Cops - Write you own Story. I'm Testing a new concept at Beyond The Shield. Write your own story around the image provided and post it as a comment. This Badgeart image is "Cops Helping Cops". The idea is that policevets are there for other policevets. Story ideas: How policevets has helped me, How policevets can help others, Resources for retired and disabled cops, the need for policevets, or write your own topic.
Visit: American Police Veterans |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Officers, the most important report of your career will be the medical report when
you get hit in the line of duty. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| I want to make one thing perfectly clear at this point, if you are ever injured, always review your medical reports, you might be very surprised at the mistakes that you find and also what the medical people are thinking about you. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| In September, I wrote an Article that said that I was Angry and I was not going to take it anymore. Well, many friends wanted to know, why exactly I was so angry.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Wow ! you would be amazed at all of the Laws, Codes, Presidential Executive Orders, Statutes, Benefits, Resources, etc, etc, etc that are in place to protect us. Unfortunately but it seems that the people that seem to have that responsibility to administer such don't seem to eager to assist us. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| "11-99 Shots fired!" screamed out on his radio. Shots fired at another high school. How could this happen twice in two weeks? Turning the patrol car around he raced, along with every other officer to the school. Information was broadcast there was a second shooter, and the first was down. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| The call for help went out. Shots fired at the local high school. Officers raced to the scene as updates continued to come about an active shooter on the campus. Many questions raced threw their minds. Where is the shooter, how many are there, how many have been shot?
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| New York Governor vetoes bill for distintive plates for disabled police officers. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Many politicians don’t want the WPO and GPO. They are unwilling to make it go away, but it must go away for America’s cops and firefighters. In addition, we have to put a stop to the practice of offsetting public employee’s pensions when Social Security is paid. Additionally, disabled cops across America have earnings limitations and offsets imposed by the very governments that promote inclusion and hiring the disabled. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Thank you for your contributions to the United States of America. The police are the foundation of a free and just society. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Disability is truly the next to the last sacrifice a law enforcement officer makes. The distinction between disability and death can be broad or very narrow. Some law enforcement officers come perilously close to the threshold of ultimate sacrifice. Officers can be saved by medical or divine intervention. For the most part they appear indifferent to the ultimate conclusion.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| If we want to have a real Police Week in America each year, lets have a real one for the 'Living'. We will never forget those who gave of their life from, 'In The Line of Duty'. We surely can do nothing to bring them back. We 'Honor' their 'Service'. Those who knew them and loved them will always remember them. In 100 years from now who will know who any of them were who have passed away? So while those of us who are living with Permanent Catastrophic Injuries, left Paralyzed and Disabled for Life, we are the ones who need the funds and medical care to maintain our lives. We are still alive, we have not gone away, we are just out of sight.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| So policevets, whether you are for or against a strong border, guest workers or deportation, it is time to act. Join the US Border patrol today!
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Law enforcement careers are often defined by a single moment. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| How could thousands of aging, infirm and disabled cops being abused and abandoned not translate into interesting news stories? Especially, when America is looking for every cop to be ready to join this fraternity of misfits and forgottens without a moments notice.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Self advocacy: Policevet Al Odze working on An act to amend the New York education law, in relation to providing tuition awards to children of firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians with permanent and total disabilities |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Those who are reading this and discover they are the victims from being Hit In The Line of Duty, your dealing with Hit In The Line of Duty 101. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Who is America Behind? We are the over 1 million plus permanently paralyzed and disabled law enforcement officers who have been 'Hit In The Line of Duty'. We are the ones that disappear into the night. There was a time when we were thought about. That would be the day, time and place we were catastrophically injured for life. Now do not confuse reality with TV Land Shows and Hollywood Movies they produce. You know the shows, the whole Police Force at the hospital around the clock. Waiting for the flat line and sound from the monitor, that we have finally passed on to the big Shield in the Sky.
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| The plight of whistleblowers |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Law Enforcement Departments across the board are having to cut corners to maintain the basic services as funds continue to be cut. Still expecting to have all Active Duty Law Enforcement Officers to Protect and Serve with Honor the citizens in their Town's, Cities, States and Federal Government Agencies. Permanently Paralyzed and Disabled Law Enforcement Officers from being Hit In The Line of Duty have not a clue how one will survive. Social Service Programs from the Federal and State Governments have been cut to the bone and still we our expected to live? 'Twas The Night Before Past Christmas' appears to be another night before the next. The celebration of Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa are running low on funds and celebration. Medicare and Medicaid are being cut for the Poor of America. Food Stamps are being cut for the Poor of America. Fuel Assistance is being cut for the Poor of America to a tune of over $54 Billion dollars. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Recently several fellow members of policevets.org have written to C.O.P.S. to express our frustration with the lack of support, assistance, and benefits which we disabled police officers receive. C.O.P.S., which represents the families of police officers killed in the line-of-duty, unfortunately, to date, has not found room within their organization or within their hearts for us. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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| Alone, confused and in a medical crisis, his only thought was to take his self and his dog to a nearby Electrical Station, break in and walk over to the massive generators and grab hold. Fortunately, the one thing that stopped him was that he didn't want to hurt Lieutenant. |
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| Posted by Policevet's Blog at | | | |
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