• Helpful Personal and Practical Reference Material
• For Public Safety Agencies
• Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program
• DC-COPS Newsletter Archive
• Gift from Within Articles
Helpful Personal and Practical Reference Material
Financial Diary
This handbook was developed in November 1995 to be used as an educational tool for C.O.P.S.’ national training sessions. These training sessions were planned to help agencies address the emotional aftermath following a law enforcement officer’s death.
Guide to Survival
For Family and Friends of Homicide Victims: This booklet was written for you by counselors from Polk County (Iowa) Victim Services who work with survivors -- with help from people who have lived through the loss of a loved one to homicide.
Research in Brief
Line-of-Duty Death Study: Survivor responses and departmental policies.
Post-traumatic Growth in Survivors of Law Enforcement Officers Killed in the Line of Duty
Research paper from the University of Oklahoma with a survey conducted with the membership of C.O.P.S., Inc. dealing with victims and survivors of trauma.
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For Public Safety Agencies
Support Services to Surviving Families of Line-of-Duty Death
A Public Safety Agency Handbook: This handbook will be valuable to any public safety agency that might experience the line-of-duty death of an officer. lt is also invaluable to the agency when dealing with any death of an employee. It provides valuable insight on how to best assist the emotional support needs of a traumatized surviving family.
Line-of-Duty Death Manual -- Example 1
The purpose of this excellent sample manual is to help relieve the trauma following the loss of a fellow police officer by preparing for such a tragedy in advance. It includes information regarding family support, benefits and funeral arrangements (from the Washington DC Metro Transit Police Department.)
Line-of-Duty Death Manual -- Example 2
This is another fine sample line-of-duty death manual from the Norman Police Department in Oklahoma.
In Person, In Time
Recommended procedures for departmental death notification.
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Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program
The Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) Act was enacted in 1976 to assist in the recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers and firefighters. Specifically, Congress was concerned that the hazards inherent in law enforcement and fire suppression and the low level of state and local death benefits might discourage qualified individuals from seeking careers in public safety, thus hindering the ability of communities to provide for public safety. The PSOB Program provides death benefits in the form of a one-time financial payment to the eligible survivors of public safety officers whose deaths are the direct and proximate result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty. Since October 15, 1988, the benefit has been adjusted each year on October 1 to reflect the percentage of change in the Consumer Price Index. For each death and disability claim, the award amount is solely determined by the actual date of the officer's death or disability. Please visit the PSOB web site for more information. You will find all the necessary forms and instructions on the site and many of the forms now can be filled out online.
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DC-COPS Newsletter Archive
Spring 2009 Issue: PDF file
Spring 2007 Issue: PDF file
Summer / Fall 2005 Issue: PDF file (1.4 MB)
Winter / Spring 2005 Issue: PDF file (2 MB)
October - December 2004 Issue: PDF file (2.4 MB)
April - June 2004 Issue: PDF file (2.4 MB)
January - March 2004 Issue: PDF file (2.4 MB)
October - December 2003 Issue: PDF file (1.6 MB)
July - September 2003 Issue: PDF file
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Gift from Within Articles
Dr. Beverly Anderson of the Metropolitan Police Employee Assistance Program is a member of Gift From Within's board of advisors. Gift From Within is a nonprofit organization was founded in 1993 by Frank Ochberg, M.D., an expert in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD). They are dedicated to those suffering from PTSD and their supporters including first responders. Gift from Within has posted several articles written by Dr. Anderson and others.
Visit the Gift from Within Web site.
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Washington, D.C. Chapter, Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc.
P.O. Box 31549
Washington, DC 20030
(202) 332-COPS
Contact:
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