by Kevin Grogan
Each year, between 140 and 160 police officers are killed in the line of duty and their families and co-workers are left to cope with the tragic loss. Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S) provides resources to help them rebuild their shattered lives. Today, C.O.P.S. membership is over 51,000 survivors. Survivors include spouses, children, parents, siblings, significant others, and co-workers of officers who have died in the line of duty. Locally here in Lake, Ashley Strange has bee
n raising awareness for this organization throughout Central Florida. Strange caught up with the Tablet this week and gave us an update on C.O.P.S.
Strange: In 2010, my dear friend and co-worker Deputy Brandon Coates (Orange County Sheriff’s Office) was killed in the line of duty. We went to the police academy together and I also became close friends with his wife, Virginia, who is also a deputy and now the President of Central Florida C.O.PS. C.O.P.S is a group you never want to be a part of but the support they have provided over the years has been incredible. I have been able to attend several law enforcement memorials and was given the opportunity to go to Washington, DC during Police Week to see Brandon’s name added to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Wall. The peer support from talking to other co-workers who have gone through a similar situation has helped me on my path to healing after this great loss.
Tablet: Tell us a bit about the C.O.P.S. mission?
Strange: Every 58 hours, a law enforcement officer in the United States dies in the line of duty. In the wake of such tragedy, there are spouses, children, mothers, fathers, siblings, extended family and co-workers left to rebuild their lives and develop their “new normal” as they learn to move forward in memory of their hero. They are survivors. Our mission is to never forget and walk the journey of hope with every member. We represent 13 counties in Central Florida to include those who have died in the line of duty locally as well as the families of fallen officers nationwide who call Central Florida home. You can read more about our organization at https://www.centralfloridacops.org/ and the National C.O.P.S. https://www.concernsofpolicesurvivors.org/
Tablet: You are the Secretary although you wear many hats in the organization. What is your best C.O.P.S. memory thus far?
Strange: We have quarterly meetings every year and this past June, we planned this great day at the beach. In typical Florida fashion, there was a terrible thunderstorm and we managed to huddle everyone under a pavilion at Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach. Several of our veteran surviving parents took one of our newest survivors under their wing. In the rain, they sat and remembered their children who were taken too soon and began making travel plans to attend a C.O.P.S. Surviving Parents retreat in Missouri. They laughed, cried and it hit me at that moment what it meant for them to have this fellowship and to be a small part of that encounter in bringing these families together was such a humbling experience. To see people who have a common tragic bond, who have lost so much, learn to pick up the pieces. They don’t forget but they move forward, one day at a time with a whole community of people to lean on.
Tablet: What is your background and your family’s background as far as public service even back to your days in Pembroke Pines?
Strange: My maternal grandfather was a police officer for Miami – Dade Police Department so I was always interested in his work and his stories. My other grandfather was in the Army during the Korean War and service to country was always instilled in us. I knew after 9/11 that I would have a government job and ended up at UCF for college where I learned about the Orange County Sheriff’s Office through several of my criminal justice classes. I applied for the job after graduation and haven’t ever looked back! The women in my family all have a teaching background as well so giving back to the community is a huge part of our family.
Tablet: What are some events C.O.P.S. has coming up?
Strange: We have our Annual Bluelight Gala on November 2, 2019. We will be having a Cornhole Tournament at the Clermont Brewing Company on January 11, 2020, and a golf tournament on May 7, 2020, at the Disney Magnolia Golf Course. We are finalizing plans for the Back the Blue 5k and a First Responder Flag Football game in Seminole County, both likely set for May 2020. We will also be working with the Florida Highway Patrol to send the family and co-workers of Trooper Tracy Vickers to the Florida State Memorial and to Washington DC during Police Week.
Tablet: You guys serve 13 different counties surrounding Orlando. That’s a rather large area. Does this propose a challenge?
Strange: We cover all the law enforcement agencies in our 13 county area, plus all the families who reside in our area, even if the officer may have died somewhere else. For instance, we have families who live in Florida but lost a relative due to 9/11 related illnesses because their officers worked for NYPD. It’s a large group of people and unfortunately, our numbers aren’t getting any smaller as the years go on. Not only do we help with funding, but we also help these families to navigate the process of receiving benefits and also with trial support for those who now have to endure a murder trial for their fallen officer. Our biggest needs are always volunteers for our events, community sponsorships and funding to be able to provide stipends for the memorials and retreat expenses. The retreats are always our top priority, especially for our child survivors who often find the loss of their parent an isolating experience. Through retreats, they are able to get counseling and peer support with other children who have gone through the same traumatic experiences. It’s life-changing for so many of them and it’s our goal to never have to say no to sending someone for the help they deserve.
Tablet: What else would you like your south Lake neighbors to know about Concerns of Police Survivors.
Strange: We are a fully volunteer-based organization and all of our money raised goes directly back to the survivors to help them in their times of need. We love participation from our community so please join us by attending our family-friendly events and if anyone finds it in their heart to donate or if you are interested in a sponsorship opportunity, please don’t hesitate to contact us at centralflcops@gmail.org.
Kevin Grogan is a contributing sportswriter for the. South Lake Tablet. Kevin and Kimberly are owners of Dash-Sports
