Concerns of Police Survivors 50.6.0

Each year, between 140 and 160 law enforcement officers lose their lives in the line of duty, leaving their families and colleagues to navigate the profound aftermath. The Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) offers crucial resources aimed at helping these individuals reconstruct their lives amidst such tragedies. Notably, there is no membership fee to join C.O.P.S., as the sacrifices made by these survivors are already immeasurable.

Founded in 1984 with just 110 members, C.O.P.S. has since expanded its reach and now supports over 75,000 survivors, including spouses, children, parents, siblings, significant others, and colleagues of officers who have died while serving their communities. The organization is governed by a national board comprised of law enforcement survivors and administers its programs and services through its National Office located in Camdenton, Missouri. Additionally, C.O.P.S. operates more than 50 chapters across the nation that engage directly with survivors at the community level.

The array of programs offered by C.O.P.S. includes the National Police Survivors' Conference held annually in May during National Police Week, various scholarship opportunities, and peer support initiatives that operate at national, state, and local levels. Other notable offerings are the "C.O.P.S. Kids" counseling reimbursement program, the "C.O.P.S. Kids" Summer Camp, as well as adventure programs like "C.O.P.S. Teens" Outward Bound for young adults. Special retreats are organized for spouses, parents, siblings, adult children, extended family members, and co-workers to aid in their healing processes. Support for trial and parole situations is also part of the comprehensive assistance provided.

Recognizing that a survivor's distress can be exacerbated by how law enforcement agencies respond to such tragedies, C.O.P.S. proactively offers training and guidance to these agencies on effectively managing the loss of a colleague. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, C.O.P.S. relies on grants and donations to fund its vital programs and services.