Award Recipients
National Association of
Chiefs of Police
A program of the United States Law Enforcement Foundation
Programs
Our Commitment
Often when a family is shattered by the catastrophic injury of their police officer, NACOP actually becomes family. How? By being there year after year. With emergency and medical financial assistance. Birthday and holiday gifts for the children. Gifts on Mothers’ Day and Fathers' Day. Never, ever forgetting the sacrifice made by their hero in blue.
NACOP’s Family Fund for Paralyzed & Disabled Police Officers has made a sacred promise to never turn away a family in which the police officer was severely injured in the line of duty.
Family Fund for Paralyzed and Disabled Police Officers
The FBI lists in its Annual Crime Report, that about 161 police officers are assaulted in the line of duty each day. Most of these officers are forgotten about or never recognized by their department in the first place. The law enforcement officers in the United States who were injured or disabled in the line of duty have been "hidden" from public view. This has been a sad part of the history of the 18,000 municipal police departments; 3100 county sheriffs and the 1,900 state and federal agencies in America. The purpose of the Family Fund for Paralyzed and Disabled Officers is: RECOGNITION We provide recognition to these officers by awarding them the Police Purple Heart Medal and Certificate acknowledging the sacrifice they made in the line of duty. Continued recognition is achieved through support and assistance. ASSISTANCE Helping officers help themselves: The officers are assisted in regaining productive lives through either college or vocational scholarships or with financial assistance for medical expenses incurred by their injuries. SUPPORT Children of these officers are supported with programs such as college scholarships, summer camp grants as well as Christmas & birthday gifts. Parents and spouses feel support through the Mother's and Father's Day program.
Chief of Police Magazine
As the official publication of the National Association of Chiefs of police, The Chief of Police Magazine publishes articles that most concern American command ranking law enforcement officers. This quarterly magazine covers a wide range of topics written largely by seasoned law enforcement professionals currently employed in the field with the goal of enhancing and advancing American law enforcement. Members with something important to say are encouraged to submit articles to share with departments across the nation.
Training
As a law enforcement-based organization, NACOP has always had two essential training goals…to keep our officers safe and to keep the communities and civilians they protect safe, as well. Thus, as NACOP has built its safety training programs over the years, we have focused on providing resources and training for the LEOs we serve, while also offering classes and educational content to civilians who are interested in defending themselves. We have expanded our programming into two key areas: our Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP) which offers world-class tactical training to officers at little to no cost; and our civilian-based Safety Training Education Program (STEP) for everyday citizens who want to learn firearms safety, hand-to-hand defensive measures, active shooter response methods, and more, under the guidance of law enforcement officers, former military and NRA/USCCA certified instructors. To learn about both programs, click HERE. To find out about upcoming law enforcement classes at our Titusville, FL facility – or to arrange training in your area – contact Brent Shepherd at brents@aphf.org
Canine Program
The police canine can and will perform tasks that a human officer, or mechanical substitute, could never do. A dog’s keen senses allow it to find drugs, bombs, and a number of other substances that no human could begin to. A police canine’s ability and willingness to chase and apprehend criminal suspects makes them invaluable to the force. Unfortunately, many police agencies do not have the funding to maintain a police canine program. Many of these are small to midsize departments that simply do not have the budget to include this service. In many cases these small communities have become a haven for drug traffickers. These criminals know that the police do not have the resources to adequately protect the public from them. For most of these communities, it would only take one dog. One trained police canine to help rid the community of this criminal element. For over twelve years, the National Association of Chiefs of Police has helped fund some of these under-funded departments. With donations from citizens throughout the United States, NACOP has worked with departments to add a dog to an existing program or to help departments fund their first canine. The need is great. Every week more departments apply for funding. We would like to provide a canine for each department that has a need. Unfortunately, unless we receive donations to meet this need we will not be able to provide the funding.
Annual Survey
In 1987, the National Association of Chiefs of Police conducted a survey of national police commanders. The results of this survey were instrumental in making the needs of the local departments known on a national level. In the course of this research we discovered that many departments do not have adequate funding for many basic crime fighting tools. Each year since then, NACOP has continued to survey the concerns of police agencies of all sizes across the nation and to make those needs known.
Membership
The National Association of Chiefs of Police offers membership to law enforcement and professional security persons who hold a command rank position within the United States and her territories and possessions. The purpose of the membership program is to encourage law enforcement leaders through education, communication, training, recognition and service.
Award Program
The American Police Hall of Fame National Awards Program was started more than 40 years ago to fill the void of recognition for worthy American law enforcement officers. The vast majority of recognition law enforcement officers receive is negative press in the local news. It is not often that their good deeds get noticed and are rarely mentioned. An awards program counteracts this skewed public image and can have long reaching effects. Awards are the best way to make the officer aware that he/she is appreciated and a valuable asset to American society.
Officer of the Year
Beginning in 1988, the National Association of Chiefs of Police in partnership with the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum, began an annual search to locate one officer that they felt epitomized all law enforcement for that year. The selected officer would thus become known as the Outstanding Officer of the Year. The selection process is always difficult as hundreds of officers across the United States are considered based on their bravery, courage and valor. There is never a shortage of officers who go above and beyond the call of duty. The stories of these men and women are on permanent display at the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum in Titusville, Florida. Click below to see our online gallery.
