How this nonprofit helps survivors of police officers killed in the line of duty
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Following the recent death of a Santaquin police officer while in the line of duty, Sergeant Billy Dean Hooser, community and Utah leaders have come together to honor the fallen officer.
Many in Utah have expressed their condolences to the family of Sgt. Hooser and have set up memorials in his honor.
One organization’s purpose is to help the families, friends and co-workers of officers killed in the line of duty to “rebuild their shattered lives.” Concerns of Police Survivors is a national organization with local chapters across the country — including a chapter in Utah that is led at the local level by Lt. Pat Evans of the Draper Police Department.
“It’s a great organization that most law enforcement really knows nothing about until we have a tragedy like we did this weekend,” Evans told ABC4.com.
Evans said Concerns of Police Survivors — abbreviated as C.O.P.S. — provides “lifelong” resources such as counseling sessions and retreats for survivors of officers killed in the line of duty. Survivors are not just limited to an officer’s spouse or children, as Evans said parents, adult children, siblings and parents all count, too.
“We just do everything we can to make sure that, as they start their new journey, they can move on and get the help and support and love they need,” Evans said.
When an officer loses their life in the line of duty, Evans said it not only affects the officer’s families, but it affects the families of their coworkers as well.
“It’s important that there’s support groups like C.O.PS.,” Evans said. “They need that support moving forward.”
Evans said that tragedies involving officers draw a lot of support from the community, and show how much the citizens support their police officers.
“It’s heartfelt,” Evans said. “It’s hard to keep dry eyes.”
He also said an organization like C.O.P.S. is important to help control the “organized chaos” after a tragedy.
“People come out of the woodwork,” Evans said. “Everybody wants to support and help, and so you really have to get in and control that.”
The Utah chapter of C.O.P.S. hosts two major fundraisers each year, Evans said. One event is the Black and Blue Gala and the other is a 5K race called the Fallen Officers Memorial Run.
Evans said C.O.P.S. is run by volunteers. Those who want to learn more about what the organization does at the national level can visit the organization’s website.
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