Cleveland Cavaliers Host 2nd Law Enforcement Appreciation Night

On Tuesday, January 28th 13,985 fans came out to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland Ohio to support and honor Ohio Law Enforcement in the 2nd Annual Cleveland Cavaliers Law Enforcement Appreciation Night.

The Cavaliers played a great game against the New Orleans Pelicans, but unfortunately lost with a final score of 100-89.

During the pre-game festivities, the Ohio State Highway Patrol Honor Guard presented the colors during the National Anthem. In addition, the Cleveland Police Museum sponsored 25 children from the greater Cleveland area that were a part of the "High 5" tunnel, wherein the children got the opportunity to stand on the court and high-five Cavaliers players as they took the floor for pre-game warm-ups. Each participant received a special t-shirt and got to interact with players before the game.

Ohio State Highway Patrol Honor Guard

During halftime, a special ceremony took place at center court where Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO Craig Floyd presented the Cavaliers' CEO Len Komoroski with a 2014 Memorial Fund Challenge coin and Memorial wall paper weight.

Cavaliers CEO Len Komoroski and Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO Craig Floyd

Representative from the following organizations were hosted in the owners suite of the Cleveland Cavaliers/Quicken Loans Arena: Ohio Chiefs of Police, Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, Cuyahoga County Chiefs of Police, Cleveland Police Museum, Cleveland Police Department, Cleveland Clinic Police Department, Akron Police Department, Ohio DARE, Ohio HIDTA, Ohio State Highway Patrol, TSA and U.S. Secret Service. Our thanks to everyone who attended and helping promote the event.

Photo from the Owner's Suite

The Memorial Fund would like to extend a special thank you  to Cleveland Cavaliers owner Mr. Dan Gilbert, CEO Len Komoroski, Director of Security and Safety Brian Herbert and Account Representative David Kodish for their support to the Memorial Fund and for helping to put together a great event.

Recorded Memorial Tributes to Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Presented

On Tuesday, January 27th, the Memorial Fund hosted a Recorded Memorial Tribute event honoring three fallen law enforcement professionals—FBI Special Agents Martha Dixon Martinez and Michael Miller, and DC Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant Henry Daly.

On November 22, 1994, an ex-con was concerned that his fellow gang members thought he might be a snitch in a murder case. To prove them wrong, he walked into Metropolitan (DC) Police headquarters, took an elevator to the Cold Case Squad office, and without saying a word, opened fire with a semi-automatic weapon. Special Agents Martinez and Miller were killed, along with MPD Sergeant Henry J. Daly. Special Agent John Kutcha was critically injured but survived.

Tuesday's event featured a screening of a recorded tribute to each of the officers. The surviving families of the officers were in attendance, along with distinguished guests FBI Director Jim Comey, DC MPD Assistant Chief Peter Newsham and Thomas Bethel, National President of the American Maritime Officers, the sponsor of the recorded tributes.

“I’m honored to be here this evening to pay tribute to three of our fallen heroes,” said Director Comey during his speech. “Three very different individuals with different life experiences and different personalities,” he said. “But they shared a common devotion and a common sense of duty.”

Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO Craig Floyd speaks at IJIS Institute Badge & Tech Benefit Dinner

On Thursday, January 16th, Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO Craig Floyd delivered the keynote address at the Integrated Justice Information Systems Institute (IJIS) Institute Badge & Tech Benefit Dinner. The IJIS Institute is a non-profit consortium of industry’s leading information technology companies working collaboratively with local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies to provide technical assistance, training, and support services for information exchange and technology initiatives. They promote public-private partnerships to foster information sharing to assist with public safety and homeland security.

Each year since 2011, the IJIS Institute has hosted the Badge & Tech Benefit Dinner in conjunction with the National Symposium. At this event, IJIS Institute Members and Associates come together to benefit a non-profit organization dedicated to making the public safer and more secure. This year, the IJIS Institute chose the Memorial Fund as the non-profit that benefitted from the proceeds to the event.

From Left to Right: Steve Ambrosini, IJIS Executive Director and Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO Craig Floyd

Nashville Predators Host Inaugural Law Enforcement Appreciation Night

On Monday January 20, 2014, law enforcement officers from Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama came together for the inaugural Nashville Predators Law Enforcement Appreciation Night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Tennessee. The Predators defeated the Dallas Stars 4-1 in an exciting game.

Through a special purchase incentive, 350 law enforcement tickets were sold. Proceeds from ticket sales raised approximately $3,500 to help build the first ever National Law Enforcement Museum.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Honor Guard

Before the game, the Tennessee Highway Patrol Mobile Command Unity and Nashville (TN) Metro Police Department SWAT Vehicle and Bomb Squad displayed their vehicles outside the stadium for the public. Other departments that displayed police cars included the Brentwood (TN) Police Department, Knoxville (TN) Police Department, Nashville International Airport Police Department, and the Nashville (TN) Metro Police Mounted Horse Unit.

During the game, the Tennessee Highway Patrol Honor Guard presented the colors and the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police (TACP) hosted area state, local and federal law enforcement organizations, executives and their families in a VIP Suite.

The Predators and the Memorial Fund are already planning for a 2nd Annual Law Enforcement Night this coming fall.

Scoreboard during the game

A big thanks goes out to Maggie Duncan and the Tennessee Association Chiefs of Police (TACP) and Nashville Predators Account Representative Jacob Bajema for their assistance in putting on this successful event!

Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO Craig Floyd Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy Graduation

On Friday, December 20th, Memorial Fund Chairman and CEO Craig Floyd was given the honor of speaking during the graduation ceremony of Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy, Basic Recruit Class, Session 129. 71 police officers and deputy sheriffs received diplomas and certification as law enforcement and correctional officers during the ceremony.

During the ceremony, Craig had the unique opportunity to present a very special graduate with her graduation certificate. Ashley Bowman was just three years old when her father, Virginia State Police Trooper Johnny Bowman, was killed in 1984. Ashley (known to many as Nikki) will become a police officer with the Manassas Police Department. In presenting Officer Bowman with her graduation certificate, Craig stated, "There is no greater tribute she, or any of you, could pay to her father and all those who have fallen in the line of duty than to follow in their footsteps and to carry on their vital service and deep devotion to public safety."

 

Left to right: Memorial Fund Chairman and CEO Craig Floyd, Officer Nikki Bowman and
Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy Executive Director William O'Toole

Mr. Floyd concluded his speech with these poignant words, "As long as there are men and women among us, like all of our graduates here today, who are willing to put their lives at risk for the safety and protection of others, there is truly great hope for our nation and the future of our children."

Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO Craig Floyd presents Officer of the Month Award during Sandy Hook Appreciation Night

On Tuesday, December 17, Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO Craig W. Floyd presented Detective Scott Wisner with the Officer of the Month Award for December 2013 during Sandy Hook Appreciation Night, an event hosted by the Connecticut State Police Union that honored officers who responded to the Sandy Hook school shooting in December 2012.

Detective Wisner was selected as December's Officer of the Month due to his heroic actions during the pursuit of robbery suspects in April of 2013.

Mr. Floyd gave a brief presentation about the Memorial Fund and the Officer of the Month Award Program, and then presented Detective Wisner with his Officer of the Month Award. In presenting this month's award, Mr. Floyd stated "As long as there are people like Detective Wisner among us who are willing to risk their lives for the safety and protection of others, there is indeed great hope for the future of our children and for the future of our nation."

Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO Craig Floyd and
December Officer of the Month Detective Scott Wisner

Detective Wisner, along with the other Officer of the Month Award winners for 2013, will be honored at a special awards luncheon in Washington, DC, in May 2014, during National Police Week. In addition, their stories of heroism and service will be featured in the Memorial Fund’s annual calendar.

Atlanta Falcons Honor Fallen Corporal Michael Young

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank presenting Cpl. Young's family with the game ball during the tribute.

This past Sunday, December 15, Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO Craig W. Floyd joined Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank on the field before their game versus the Washington Redskins. Accompanied by Georgia governor Nathan Deal and Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety Mark McDonough, they presented Corporal Young's family with a special Recorded Memorial Tribute in honor of their loved one, Georgia Department of Public Safety officer and 7-time trooper of the year, Corporal Michael Young, who was killed in an auto crash during a vehicle pursuit in 2006.

Launched in the summer of 2012, the Recorded Memorial Tribute Program is designed to share the stories of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. The program provides a special way for all citizens to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. You can view Corporal Young's Recorded Memorial Tribute on the Memorial Fund's website.

Special thanks to Bob McDonough, Chief Security Officer of the Atlanta Falcons, and Bill McClain, retired Secret Service Agent and Chief Security Officer for Home Depot, Inc. for coordinating this presentation, and to the Atlanta Falcons for sponsoring the creation of Corporal Young's Recorded Memorial Tribute. This is the second year in a row that the Falcons have honored a fallen Georgia officer prior to a game.

Cpl. Young tribute on jumbo screen