June 2014 Shield Magazine The Wives Behind the Badge, Inc. Auxiliary Program: Boots On The Ground, Hands In Motion INSIDE THIS ISSUE WBTB Auxiliary Program……………………….……….2-3 Heroic Women In Uniform………………….………...…..4 Special Feature ~ Barbara A.Schwartz……………...6-7 Staff Feature ~ New Board Memebers ~…….…....8-9 Stories Behind the Badge…………………….…….…10-11 Forums ~ Leta Curry Memorial…..…………..…..12-13 Fun Facts for June…………………………………..…..14-15 Featured Auxiliary……………………………….……….....16 Upcoming Events……………………………………………..17 BLK………………………………………………….…….….18-19 President’s Corner ~ Deputy Panzone…………..20-23 KARE ~ WBTB K9 Family…......………………..……...24 Hero Feature …………………………………………...…....25 Special Feature ~ Fallen Officers………………...26-27 HALOS………………………………………………..…….28-35 WBTB Stores……………………………..….…………..36-37 Blue Lights Specials ……………………..…..……….38-41 Partners …………………………………….……………..42-43 Previous Events…….………….…………………..………..48 WBTB References …………………………………………..49 SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST A look into our Auxiliary Program Deputy Panzone’s brutal attack Leta Curry Memorial http://www.freegreatimages.com/wp-content/ uploads/2014/04/flag-day-2014-3.jpg
Transcript
June 2014
Shield Magazine
The Wives Behind the
Badge, Inc. Auxiliary
Program:
Boots On The Ground, Hands
In Motion
INSIDE THIS ISSUE WBTB Auxiliary Program……………………….……….2-3
Heroic Women In Uniform………………….………...…..4
Special Feature ~ Barbara A.Schwartz……………...6-7
Staff Feature ~ New Board Memebers ~…….…....8-9
Stories Behind the Badge…………………….…….…10-11
Forums ~ Leta Curry Memorial…..…………..…..12-13
Fun Facts for June…………………………………..…..14-15
Featured Auxiliary……………………………….……….....16
Upcoming Events……………………………………………..17
BLK………………………………………………….…….….18-19
President’s Corner ~ Deputy Panzone…………..20-23
KARE ~ WBTB K9 Family…......………………..……...24
Hero Feature …………………………………………...…....25
Special Feature ~ Fallen Officers………………...26-27
HALOS………………………………………………..…….28-35
WBTB Stores……………………………..….…………..36-37
Blue Lights Specials ……………………..…..……….38-41
Partners …………………………………….……………..42-43
Previous Events…….………….…………………..………..48
WBTB References …………………………………………..49
SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST
A look into our Auxiliary Program
Deputy Panzone’s brutal attack
Leta Curry Memorial
http://www.freegreatimages.com/wp-content/
uploads/2014/04/flag-day-2014-3.jpg
States
accepting
applications
for
Director
Alaska
Connecticut
Delaware
Hawaii
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Washington DC
Wisconsin
BOOTS ON THE GROUND
Various roles are held within an auxiliary, and it takes the
teamwork and dedication of all the volunteers within the
auxiliary to see successful outreach accomplished. Along
with the director, liaisons for each program work with
national regional coordinators merging the bridge
between the national and state levels to provide much
needed assistance and resources.
Working as a team, each person brings their own
strengths and talents to the table helping the auxiliary to
move as a single well oiled machine. It is the diversity of
the volunteers that help to make such an outreach
successful.
The Wives Behind the Badge, Inc. Auxiliary
program takes our national programs to the
state and local levels, enabling our recourses
to touch law enforcement families in every
corner of our nation and beyond.
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Being the MD director of such an amazing or-ganization is priceless. It makes me feel amazing to be able to support and help LE families. ~
Angie Trice, MD Director~
The auxiliaries do various forms of
outreach for the different WBTB
programs, putting hands in motion
to help offer not just emotional
support to law enforcement fam-
ilies, but physical help as well.
Outreach is offered in a variety of ways. From attending
academy graduations to share support information to
new LE families, to hosting or participating in a
fundraiser designed to specifically assist a family in
need after a critical incident, the auxiliary program
extends a hand to assist in whatever way necessary.
Year round events
including blood drives,
online T-shirt sales,
National Police Week,
National Thank A Police
Officer Day, partnering
with agencies for Heroes
Behind the Badge
Screenings, along with more intimate events such as
Coffee With A Cop or Tip-a-Cop fundraisers are just a
small portion of what the auxiliary program has to offer.
Not only does it extend a hand out, it extends a hand
across bringing support to the volunteers within the
auxiliary then crossing state lines into the others as our
program liaisons and auxiliary staff members have the
opportunity to forge friendships and bonds bringing
January 24, 1985 was a tragic day in Overland Park, Kansas. At 1 :24am, Off icer Deanna Hummel Rose made a traf f ic s top for suspic ion of drunk dr iv ing. Off icer Rose exited her patrol car and got into a scuff le with the dr iver , a teenage boy. After the scuff le , the boy got into his vehic le and proceeded to run over Off icer Rose, cr it ical ly injur ing her . She was pro-nounced dead two days later on January 26th, she was 26 years o ld. She was g iven the Award for Valor from the Kansas Associate Chiefs of Pol ice.
She was the f irst female of f icer in Over land Park, Kansas t o be ki l led in the l ine of duty, and she was the f irst female of f icer ki l led in the l ine of duty in the state of Kansas. Off icer Deanna Rose’s name is engraved on the Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial in Topeka, Kansas.
Tragedy quickly turned to inspirat ion after Off icer Rose passed. A 12 acre chi ldren’s farm-stead was renamed in her honor later that year . I t was known that Off icer Rose loved ani-
mals and was an advocate for br inging farm l i fe to the c i ty . The Deanna Rose Farmstead has a wide range of act iv i t ies for chi ldren and for people of al l ages . I t o f fers pony r ides , hay r ides , a pett ing zoo, a f ishing hole to catch local f ish , and you can even feed baby goats! While at the Farmstead, you can v is i t an o ld t ime town with a general s tore and an ice cream parlor . You can even mine for gold and v is i t a Nat ive Ameri-can Encampment!
The Deanna Rose Farmstead is an enchanting park inside the busy c i ty where anyone can come to enjoy the wi ldl i fe and the adventure of being on the farm! A memorial has been set up inside the barn of the Farmstead to honor our fal len hero. Even though Off icer Rose is no longer with us , she wi l l never be forgotten thanks to The Farmstead. During this year ’s Na-t ional Pol ice Week, the Overland Park Pol ice Department and The Deanna Rose Farm-stead had a “ laying of the wreath” ceremony in honor of Off icer Rose and other fal len of f icers throughout the nat ion.
4
Written by contributor
Barbara A. Schwartz
Barbara A. Schwartz retired
after 30 years with NASA in
Houston where she worked in
Mission Control and Astronaut
Training. She is a former re-
serve officer serving in patrol
and investigations.
She has been writing about law
enforcement officers since
1972 and has been a contrib-
uting feature writer for Ameri-
can Police Beat for the past 10
years. Her articles and book
reviews have also appeared in
Command, The Tactical Edge,
Crisis Negotiator Journal, The
Badge & Gun, The Harris
County Star, The Blues, and
The Police News.
Schwartz earned a degree in
Aeronautical and Astronautical
Engineering from Purdue Uni-
versity with electives in Crimi-
nal Justice and Criminology.
She helped fund her education
by working for the campus
police department.
5
Long before officers wore Kevlar, they put on emotional body armor, heaping on more
and more layers when investigating crimes against children. The vulnerability, innocence,
and defenselessness of children makes the crime resonate and tug at the essence of the
police officer as a protector. Dr. Vincent Henry, a retired NYPD officer and author of
Death Work: Police, Trauma, and the Psychology of Survival, admits that law
enforcement has done a poor job in preparing officers for the emotional upheaval of the
profession, and crimes against children are especially toxic.
Officers learn how to handle their emotions through the culture passed down from one
generation of cops to another. Many aspects of that culture reinforce bad coping skills.
Cynicism becomes emotional armor. Pretending to not care becomes an emotional
defense. Henry states that the problem arises when “cops begin to believe they are the
image they project rather than the person they really are.” Bob Delaney knows all about
not being the person you really are. As a New Jersey State trooper, he spent three years
undercover with the mafia. The turmoil he experienced trying to be Bob again led to the
writing of two books: Covert: My Years Infiltrating the Mob, and Surviving the Shadows:
A Journey of Hope into Post Traumatic Stress.
“We are in the business of trauma and we need tools to handle the trauma,” Delaney
explains. “It’s no different than knowing how to hit a door or clear a room or investigate
an accident. We have expertise in those areas and we also need expertise in handling
trauma.” Cops are going to experience post-traumatic stress. Denying that, according to
Delaney, is naive. How officers perceive post-traumatic stress needs to change. Delaney
calls it a “human condition, not a mental illness. It’s not about what’s wrong with you, it’s
about the wrong you experienced.”
Left unchecked, post-traumatic stress can manifest into unhealthy behaviors and
conditions. Delaney likens it to a balloon. If you keep adding hot air, the balloon can pop.
You have to know when to let air out to keep the balloon intact.
Long before officers wore Kevlar, they put on emotional body armor, heaping on more
and more layers when investigating crimes against children. The
vulnerability, innocence, and defenselessness of children makes the
crime resonate and tug at the essence of the police officer as a
protector. Dr. Vincent Henry, a retired NYPD officer and author of
Death Work: Police, Trauma, and the Psychology of Survival,
admits that law enforcement has done a poor job in preparing
officers for the emotional upheaval of the profession, and crimes
against children are especially toxic.
6
Officers learn how to handle their emotions through the culture passed down from one generation of cops to
another. Many aspects of that culture reinforce bad coping skills. Cynicism becomes emotional armor.
Pretending to not care becomes an emotional defense. Henry states that the problem arises when “cops begin to
believe they are the image they project rather than the person they really are.” Bob Delaney knows all about not
being the person you really are. As a New Jersey State trooper, he spent three years undercover with the mafia.
The turmoil he experienced trying to be Bob again led to the writing of two books: Covert: My Years Infiltrating
the Mob, and Surviving the Shadows: A Journey of Hope into Post Traumatic Stress.
“We are in the business of trauma and we need tools to handle the trauma,” Delaney explains. “It’s no different
than knowing how to hit a door or clear a room or investigate an accident. We have expertise in those areas and
we also need expertise in handling trauma.” Cops are going to experience post-traumatic stress. Denying that,
according to Delaney, is naive. How officers perceive post-traumatic stress needs to change. Delaney calls it a
“human condition, not a mental illness. It’s not about what’s wrong with you, it’s about the wrong you
experienced.”
Left unchecked, post-traumatic stress can manifest into unhealthy behaviors and conditions. Delaney likens it to
a balloon. If you keep adding hot air, the balloon can pop. You have to know when to let air out to keep the
balloon intact.
Have you filled your balloon with anger or rage at what you can’t control or change; becoming overprotective of
loved ones; coming home and slamming doors and cabinets? Or the opposite, being quiet and withdrawn;
jumping at loud noises or enduring panic attacks; interrogating your kids to the point they no longer talk to you;
experiencing nightmares or night sweats; having disturbing images
from crime scenes invade your off duty life; feeling isolated and alone
like no one cares or understands you? To let the air out of the balloon,
start peeling off the layers of emotional body armor by sharing your
honest feelings. Henry goes on to explain the "nothing" syndrome. He
acknowledges that, as protectors, officers want their homes to be
sanctuaries, and to shield loved ones from the horrors and evils seen on
the job. But this protective nature can sometimes cause fights. If an
officer comes home to a spouse who senses something is wrong and
replies, "Nothing," when asked about it, the spouse may know better
and wonder what else the officer is hiding.
Henry acknowledges that as protectors, officers want their homes to be
sanctuaries and to shield loved ones from the horrors and evils seen on
the job.
Delaney found refuge in officiating youth basketball. In his book he explains, “The purity of the
games attracted me--they were a contrast to the evil and violence that had surrounded me...I
enjoyed the officiating but also that the game and my role in it gave me a sense of peace and
balance. It was a kind of therapy...” That therapy led Delaney into his second career as an NBA
official where he policed Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan.
Many officers become instructors because passing on their hard-won lessons gives the pain
they suffered in the trenches meaning and purpose.
Find your own refuge--an activity, place, group, class. Small traumas can accumulate over time
and inflate the balloon. You don’t have to directly experience an event to react. Many
Americans felt traumatic stress watching the news on September 11, 2001. Supervisors need to
recognize that post-traumatic
stress may cause disciplinary
issues. Look beyond the
behavior to what that officer
has been experiencing and
dealing with. The officer may
need counseling, not days off.
Delaney challenges officers to
own their trauma, be
responsible for letting the air
out of the balloon. “We won’t
eliminate post-traumatic stress,
that’s not an obtainable goal,
Delaney says. The goal is
keeping post-traumatic stress
at post-traumatic stress, and
not allowing it to get to the
disorder level or mental illness
symptoms or suicide.” Deflate
the balloon. Turn post-
traumatic stress into post-
traumatic growth.
7
TIPS TO PROCESS THE “Human
Condition” of Trauma
1. Talk to your spouse about how you feel leaving out the gory details.
2. Henry and Delaney advocate for cops supporting cops.
3. Shed the armor. Share the pain.
4. Talk to other officers who have witnessed and experienced what you
have. Open up by asking if they are okay. Henry suggests if you know an
officer has a daughter the same age as the girl in the sexual assault case you
are working, then ask about the connection and how that officer is dealing
with it.
5. Be the catalyst for healing. Organize peer support groups. Delaney tells
cops that when you put a voice behind your own pain, you validate other
officers’ feelings and give them permission to voice their own.
6. Keep a journal. Write about each case or scene you make. Go beyond re-
port writing. The act of transcribing emotions and events can discharge
traumatic memories.
7. Cultivate an identity and activity beyond law enforcement.
Wives Behind the Badge is continuously seeking funding through private donations, corporations, police
associations, and grants to help support its projects and programs. For more information on how you can
help, please visit www.wivesbehindthebadge.org or email [email protected].
The For Better or For Worse...
Meet Trooper Begg of Maryland State Police Golden Ring Barracks.
Trooper Begg is happily married to our Wives Behind the Badge volunteer Hollie,
and lives with their two party poodles, Peyton and Bailey. Tpr. Begg recommends anyone visiting Mary-
land to try Sakura Hibachi Grill. “The food is delicious [and], you get a show as they make it,” he said.
They also give generous portions so no one leaves hungry. He has been on the job for two and a half years
and like many other officers, has always had it in him to serve the community. Trooper Begg has an older
brother that suffers from Down’s Syndrome and as they were growing up together, he stood up for his
brother. It became a habit to defend those who needed the help, even if he did not necessarily agree with
the other person’s position. A father of a close friend became a law enforcement officer for the local K-9
Unit and that opened Trooper Begg’s eyes to the profession and to how much he aspired to become a law
enforcement officer himself.
He graduated in the Maryland State Police Academy in 2012 as fourteenth in his class. After the police
academy, Trooper Begg also furthered his education to earn his Associates Degree from Frederick Commu-
nity College. The past two and a half years on the job his dedication has truly been appreciated with in his
prestigious awards he has received from his department commending his inspiring work ethic. Not only has
Trooper Begg made the most traffic stops for the year in 2013 being awarded Traffic Trooper of the month
eight times, but he also was awarded DUI Trooper of the month, and his unit including a Corporal and four
troopers, also received top group of the month ten times out of the year for being the most productive
group. “This was even more impressive by my group being short two members as most groups have 7 or
more Troopers assigned to them,” Tpr. Begg shared.
More than the arrests and traffic stops are the rewarding
experiences that accompany the job. Trooper Begg en-
lightened us with his most memorable experience on the
job when he responded to a motor vehicle accident. Alt-
hough a grim incident when arriving on scene with two
children and a mother involved in a collision, the chil-
dren made light of the situation with their innocence.
Unfortunately, Troopers had to arrest the mother driving
the vehicle for driving while under the influence, but it
was cold outside so in the meantime Trooper Begg let
the 6 year old and 18 month old children sit in the pas-
senger seat of the patrol car. “I remember the little boy
and little girl being so excited to play with all the button
and lights in my patrol car,” Trooper Begg said. “They
were making all the lights change and kept turning the sirens on and off.” Although they were terrified at
first, their laughter made the situation memorable and a moment that will be remembered forever as part of
10
11
his career. The pictures with that the kids were able to snap that he found
later in his cell phone will also be never be forgotten!
Trooper Begg’s Corporal nominated him for the 2013 Commander’s
Award which recognizes distinguished members of the department. Cor-
poral described Begg’s hardworking determination as a driving force be-
hind their group. “Trooper Begg sets high expectations for himself and
comes to work with positive and determined attitude in locating these
people that do not wish to follow the laws and standards of the State of
Maryland.” In 2013 Trooper Begg arrested 45 motorists for Driving Un-
der the Influence setting the record high for the year. He made 2,459 traf-
fic stops total.
We are glad Trooper Begg was honored for his dedication to the job when
he was. Shortly thereafter, Trooper Begg was involved in a motor vehicle
accident which every officer’s wife fears. The night of March 28 started as a normal night for Trooper Begg. He was
running radar on a major highway when a vehicle sped by at 83 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour zone. He pulled in-
to traffic to follow the vehicle and noticed them swerving between the lanes. Activating lights and sirens to attempt to
pull over the car. “I called out the stop on the radio and asked for an additional unit to respond to my location,” said
Begg. Although the Nissan stopped in the lane without being in the shoulder, the rest was all standard protocol. As he
approached the car to ask them to move into the shoulder and off the road, he noticed two males reaching into the center
console and moving around nervously. As Trooper Begg got closer to the vehicle, they suddenly took off. He raced back
to his car and radioed that he was in pursuit of the car. They reached speeds of 100 miles per hour, and as they exited the
parkway, Trooper Begg slowed down to look for oncoming traffic or pedestrians when his patrol car slid sideways and
hit the curb at 60 miles per hour. He bounced off the curb losing the suspects but luckily only sustained minor injuries.
Wives Behind the Badge is more than thankful that Trooper Begg was not seriously injured, but incidents like this con-
firm the uncertainty that accompanies the law enforcement career. Many officers begin their career with the passion of
serving the public and cannot imagine life without the Thin Blue Line family, but can their significant other dream of a
life without the badge?? It takes a strong commitment to be able to send your loved one off into a field not knowing
what “all in a days work” entails. Officers are drawn to the aspect of the job that warrants a different story each day, and
Wives Behind the Badge is here to assist with the doubt and fears that we all experience in this line of work. Places like
our forums provide secure networks to cope with emotions in situa-
tions just like the Begg’s where one day you are celebrating the ac-
complishments of keeping drunk drivers off the road to keep the
public safe and the next day you are sitting in a hospital waiting
room hoping to be able to tell your officer one more time now much
you love them. As a law enforcement spouse, the uncertainty is one
that you must embrace and be sure to kiss your LEO before every
shift.
Thank you WBTB volunteer Hollie and Tpr. Begg for letting us
share your story.
FORUMS BIG SISTER PROGRAM
12
From our Founder, Rose and a very dear and close friend of Leta...
Leta Currey, aka Officers Lady. It has been two years since Leta was suddenly taken from our lives. When you look at
her photos and look into her smiling eyes, it’s hard to believe someone so full of life is gone. Leta was one of the kindest
people anyone could ever have the honor of knowing. People were drawn to her and she never turned away someone
in need - she was truly an angel on Earth. Her family was her life. Her husband Jim, five children and all her grandchil-
dren....family was always first...always!
Leta was with Wives Behind the Badge, Inc. (WBTB) from the very beginning. She was one of our original volunteers
and watched WBTB grow from a small support forum to a national non-profit. As a Big Sister, she was always there
helping our members and supporting them in any way she could. She helped our newer wives understand the lifestyle
of a law enforcement family and provided our seasoned wives with a shoulder in support. She hand-made beaded Thin
Blue Line bracelets for many of our members...one I will cherish forever. She was one of our most admired and respect-
ed members.
Leta found a passion for riding motorcycles. She would share her experiences when learning how to ride, getting her
license, picking out her beautiful Purple Haze bike....purple being her favorite color. We loved to see her posts about
her riding adventures! She loved riding so much she founded an all women’s motorcycle group: the Northwest Iron
Maidens. She was an inspiration to so many women! We all loved to see her doing something that made her so happy.
Leta also had a passion for taking and sharing photos of scenery, flowers and the moon....Leta’s moon. There isn’t a full
moon that doesn’t remind us of our beautiful friend. Her photos were mesmerizing...just as she was. Leta was more
than a friend...she was a sister.
Going through our friendship history on Facebook, I came across a comment she posted on my wall back in 2011;
“Friends are Angels who lift us up when our wings forgot how to fly. Friends fill your life with joy, your soul with sunshine
and you with love.” This couldn’t be more accurate to describe my dear friend Leta. We love and miss you Officers La-
dy.
Www.wivesbehindthebadge.org/forums
13
FORUMS STAFF
Brandi (Breezy: Forums Director
Jessie: Forums Administrator
Mendi: Members Liaison and Chaplain
Stacy (Sweet Stacy): Member Services Coordinator
Michelle (Fiona): Big Sister Coor-dinator
Moderators pamedic954 - Anne
breezy - Brandi
cb_wifetoonefinedeputy- Cindy
JeannineNJ35 - Jeannine
Fiona - Michelle
DeAnna - DeAnna
izzy1977 - Elizabeth
Forums Facts
We have forums set up specifically for
PTSD. This is a very scary part of the LE
life and we provide a safe place for com-
munication.
14
Father's Day was inaugurated in the United States in
the early 20th century to complement Mother's Day
in celebrating fatherhood and male parenting.
After the success obtained by Anna Jarvis with the
promotion of Mother's Day in the US, some wanted
to create similar holidays for other family members,
and Father's Day was the choice most likely to suc-
ceed. There were other persons in the US who inde-
pendently thought of "Father's Day", but the credit
for the modern holiday is often given to Sonora
Dodd, who was the driving force behind its establish-
ment.
Father's Day was founded in Spokane, Washington at
the YMCA in 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd, who was
born in Arkansas. Its first celebration was in the Spo-
kane YMCA on June 19, 1910. Her father, the Civil
War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single
parent who raised his six children there. After hear-
ing a sermon about Jarvis' Mother's Day in 1909, she
told her pastor that fathers should have a similar hol-
iday honoring them. Although she initially suggested
June 5, her father's birthday, the pastors did not have
enough time to prepare their sermons, and the cele-
bration was deferred to the third Sunday of June.
15
Aquarium Month
Candy Month
Dairy Month
Fight the Filthy Fly Month
National Accordion Awareness Month
National Adopt a Cat Month
National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month
Rose Month
Turkey Lovers Month
June 16th is Fresh Veggies Day! Commit
yourself to eating some healthy veggie
snacks on this day. Maybe pack a pic-
nic with a fresh cucumber and tomato
salad!
Tomato, Cucumber, and Dill Salad 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tbsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar (I used raw)
3 to 4 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon fresh dill
Instructions
1) In a bowl large enough for the whole salad, com-bine the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sugar. 2) Add the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, and red on-ion. Toss everything together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 3) When ready to serve, strain the salad to get rid of
any extra moisture and toss in the fresh dill. Taste and
The Oklahoma Auxiliary is up and running in full swing. New director Darcy is
passionate about doing whatever she can to help officers across the state. She
writes “If we can make a difference in the lives of someone just by being there,
meeting a need by making a meal, raising money, cutting a lawn, or cleaning a
house, being a hand to hold, or being a friend, then let's make that difference.
You never know, some days, that difference you make may be in the lives of each
other.” Our auxiliaries were created to be that support system and the Oklahoma
Auxiliary is a great example of this.
One of the ways the auxiliary shows support to officers in Oklahoma is during the
Council on Law Enforcement Education Training (CLEET) graduations. The aux-
iliary has volunteers attend every graduation to introduce officers and their fami-
lies to the auxiliary and show them that a support network exists for them. It is a
nice showing of encouragement during a very proud moment in an officer’s life.
The auxiliary has also been there to support officers during tragic events across
the state, including officer injuries and deaths, and the 2013 tornado that devas-
tated Moore, Oklahoma. Auxiliary Event Planner, Rachel, organized an amazing
fundraiser that brought together officers, firefighters, and volunteers to raise
money for a law enforcement family that lost a member and had another member
in the hospital. The auxiliary was able to raise over $15,000 to help the family.
The auxiliary is currently working on lots of ideas to implement in the coming year to bring local law enforcement agencies together. These include a 5k and a Christmas party for LEO families in the Southern part of Oklahoma. If you are interested in learning more about our Oklahoma Auxiliary or would like to be-come involved, email Darcy at [email protected], visit them on Facebook or at our website. Our auxiliaries are always looking for new volunteers and new ide-as for supporting officers!
Blue Line Kids is a program centered around the lives of police kids. Through our forums and local events, we hope to create a fun, educational, and supportive group for our kids.
BLUE LINE KIDS When Families Behind the Badge was created in the spring of
2011, Wives Behind the Badge wanted to also create a safe and
fun environment for the children of law enforcement officers.
We wanted a place, a forums section on the Wives Behind the
Badge forums, for kids ages 9 to 17, where they could safely
gather to meet other kids living the same lives they live, as police
kids. After much thought and consideration, Blue Line Kids was
born.
Blue Line Kids is not only a forum, but also a program centered
around the lives of police kids. Through our forums and local
events, we hope to create a fun, educational, and supportive
group where our kids feel comfortable and welcome and find
In 1975, an escape attempt occurred at the Hall of Justice Jail that shortened Deputy Bill Panzone’s career only days after it be-gan and affected his life forever. Bill Panzone started his career with the Sheriff’s Department on January 17, 1975. He was sworn in as a deputy sheriff and worked as an “Off the Streeter” at the Hall of Justice Jail for two months before his academy class started. The purpose of the Sheriff’s Department’s “Off the Streeter” program was to hire great applicants right away so they weren’t hired by another de-partment. They worked as an “Off the Streeter” until the next academy class started. Panzone started immediately as a Deck Officer at the Hall of Justice Jail. By the time he started the academy, he was very familiar with procedures at the Hall of Justice Jail. He went to the Sheriff’s
Academy at Bis-cailuz’ Center as a recruit on March 10, 1975 and was assigned to Class 173. Panzone and his classmates spent the next six months going through rigorous testing and train-ing. With much
pride, and all the pomp and circumstance that surrounds all LASD commencement ceremonies, he graduated from the Sher-iff’s Academy on Friday, August 22, 1975. Two days later he reported to work back at the Hall of Justice Jail, this time as a full- fledged Deputy Sheriff. As a “Fish Deputy,” a term used to de-scribe new sworn personnel, Panzone was
assigned to work 1250 Deck on the north side of the Hall of Justice. This module consisted of six long, linear rows. Four of these rows, containing twenty-two two man cells, emptied out into the gated in open area around the deck officer’s wood-en desk. Two shorter rows containing thir-teen two man cells were around the corner on east side of the building. These rows were known as 1275. That meant that if the cells were full, Panzone was responsi-ble for 228 inmates. There were times in those days when floor sleepers would be given a mattress and assigned to a cell. So the number of inmates might be higher. Panzone’s Training Officer, Deputy John McQuay, was assigned to 1200 Deck on the south side of the building. 1200 was the mirror image of 1250 with a compara-ble number of inmates. The jail’s visiting room was also located on the 12th floor in an area in the center of the building be-tween the two decks. Inmates and person-nel could gain entry to the floor a number of ways. The main jail stairwell ran from the tenth floor to the fifteenth floor and opened outside the 1250 deck officer’s ar-ea. There was an additional stairwell that went ran through the deck officer’s sta-tions from 1050 deck through 1350 deck and a smaller stairwell that traversed the jail between the 1075 area and 1375. In-mates could come and go through any or all of these stairwells so deck officers needed to be ever vigilant. The PM shift on 1250 deck was extremely busy. For the first week Panzone was be-ginning to get the handle on the deck’s tough pace and starting to learn who the inmates were, but as his shift drew to a close on Friday August 29th, he found
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Deputy Bill Panzone’s Brutal Attack
By Deputy Chris Miller (Retired)
Los Angeles Sheriffs’ Museum
Bill Panzone's photo
when he was hired
HONORING OUR HEROES
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himself in a fight for his life. As their shift drew to a close that evening, Deputies Panzone and McQuay began locking the 12th floor inmates into their cells for the night. Because Deputy Panzone was still relatively new and on train-ing, Deputy McQuay was assisting him, but he was around the corner out of Panzone’s sight locking down another row. Once the inmates on each row were locked in their cells, it was standard procedure for deck officers to open the first cell. This was where the trusties were housed and they were let out of their cells to clean up. One of the trusties then pushed the large trashcan off the row and into the officer’s area so it could be emptied. Unbeknownst to Panzone, two inmates on one of the rows he was locking down planned an escape that night. Earlier, these inmates over-powered and tied up the two row trusties. They then hid them under bunks at the far end of the row so that Panzone wouldn’t see them. The plotters then waited in the trusties’ cell for Panzone to close all of the cell gates on the row and then open the gate to the first cell. The first part of their plan worked as they hoped. Panzone unlocked the trusty cell then opened the row gate so the trashcan could be removed. One trusty impersonator exited the cell and pushing the trashcan. But then everything went to hell. This inmate grabbed Deputy Panzone in a bear hug from the front, pinning his arms to his side. The other inmate exited the row hold-ing the detached wooden brush from a push broom. He then began swinging the broom head as if he were wielding an axe striking Panzone repeatedly in the head. Deputy McQuay heard the sound of the strug-gle and immediately shut the gate to the row he was locking down. As he locked the gate and the control box, he still heard the contin-ued violent assault on Deputy Panzone. As Deputy McQuay ran around the corner, he observed the first inmate
holding Panzone while the other was beating him with the broom head. McQuay saw several visible lacerations to Panzone’s head. McQuay guessed that the inmates were trying to knock Panzone out to get his keys. Panzone was able to free one hand and began punching the in-mate who was holding him on the head even as he continued to receive strikes from the broom head by the other inmate. Finally, Panzone was able to free himself from the hold of the first inmate and was able to block a couple of strikes from the other inmate’s assault. Blocking these vicious strikes caused severe injuries to Panzone’s hand, wrist and shoulder. McQuay looked around for a weapon to counter the one in the possession of the inmate attacking his trainee and saw a broom handle. Using this as a baton, he jabbed one of the inmates in the side. This inmate screamed and both inmates turned and ran back onto the row. With his adrenalin flowing, McQuay ran after the inmates. As he did this, he knocked a prowl phone off the wall to get assistance from other deputies. At that time, the prowl phone system was the only way to call for help in an emergency. If a deputy was in a fight, all he had to do was knock the prowl phone off the hook. The deputy in charge of communications in the Attorney Room would buzz the phone back. If no one answered, he would press an emergency system button that would cause small green lights to flash throughout the jail. Along with the light, a bell would ding to the same pattern of the light. The emergency code that was sounded over the light and bell system was 3-2. This indicated that deputies should pick up the nearest prowl phone to be told where to respond. During this horrific attack on Deputy Panzone, it took some time for the bells to sound and for the prowlers to respond to 1250 Deck. Mean-while, after running a few cells down the row after the inmates, Deputy McQuay realized that some of the cell gates were still open and he was vulnerable to attack from other inmates. The Hall of Justice Jail was built in mid-1920s. Fifty years later, the locking mechanisms were not as efficient as they once were. Compound-ing the vulnerability of the locks was the in-mates’ practice of stuffing toilet paper into the
Bill Panzone's head injury
Deputy Bill Panzone’s Brutal Attack— Continued
Deputy Bill Panzone’s Brutal Attack— Continued
mechanism which prevented them from secur-ing. The cell gates appeared secure, but could easily be pulled open by an inmate. When McQuay saw several row gates open, he was fearful that other inmates on the row might attack him. McQuay immediately exited the row and locked the entry gate. He quickly opened the gate control box and brought the arm down without issuing a warning slamming the gates closed. He hoped to trap the inmates who at-tacked Panzone outside their cells. When other deputies arrived, several carried the badly in-jured and bleeding Deputy Panzone to the jail clinic on the 14th floor. Other deputies backed up McQuay as he went down the row and iden-tified the inmates who attacked his trainee. Once these inmates were removed from their cell they were searched. Hacksaw blades were found in their pockets. There also was a mark on one of the inmate’s sides where McQuay jabbed him with the broom handle.
Deputy Panzone was transported to White Me-morial Hospital. After their shift ended, all of Panzone’s fellow deputies visited him in the hospital. The trauma to Bill Panzone’s brain from the assault was severe, a blood clot formed several days after the injury. The right side of his body was partially paralyzed from the attack. To this day Panzone does not have normal feeling on the right side of his body. He also suffers from severe recurring head-aches and horrible neck and spine pain. Despite his injuries Bill Panzone was deter-mined to recover and pursue the career he wanted all of his life. Within one year of the attack, despite his debilitating injuries and against the advice of many doctors, he re-turned to work. His doctors told him that his neck and spine were too unstable for him to safely work as a deputy and if he became involved in another violent confrontation, another head injury could be catastrophic. But Bill was undaunted. He was again assigned to 1250 Deck and accepted this post despite his lingering memories of what transpired there only a year before. But all the time Panzone worked in tremendous pain. He did his best to hide the pain he was suffering
and his physical limitations from the attack, however. Only his closest friends knew the truth.
After returning to work, Deputy Panzone actu-ally spoke to one of the inmates who attacked him. He wanted to know why the inmates chose him for their assault. The inmate told him that it wasn’t him that they attacked; it was the uniform. Their escape plan was to overpower a deputy and use his keys to escape. It was not a personal attack. They were desper-ate to escape. Their intention was to take Dep-uty Panzone hostage, use his keys to gain ac-cess to the officer’s area near the windows, and then use the hacksaw blades to cut through the bars covering the external window and escape to freedom. Panzone’s ability to fight back de-spite the injuries they inflicted against him caught them by surprise.
When the Hall of Justice Jail closed, Panzone was transferred to Central Jail. He worked as a Module Officer and Inmate Mess Hall Officer for another four and a half years and fortu-nately never became involved in a major fight. He then transferred to his dream job as a pa-trol deputy at Lakewood Station. He grew up in the station area and always hoped to work there. Bill was able to conceal the extent of his injuries while working at the Hall and CJ, but faced with the rigors of patrol the true state of his health began to manifest. The effects of his head injury caused him unbearable pain and in high stress or life threatening situations, he had trouble recalling details of what took place In 1982, Bill’s injuries caught up with him and he was compelled to retire. But the ever pre-sent pain he feels today is an ever present re-minder of that assault on August 29th, 1975. Far more deputies are permanently disabled than are killed in the line of duty. Just like Bill Panzone, they may be attacked by an inmate or suspect trying desperately to escape arrest or imprisonment. But they are also injured in a host of other ways: chasing suspects through dark backyards, tripping over kids toys while clearing backyards or stepping in potholes while providing traffic control. Others are per-manently disabled in traffic collisions while
22
trying desperately to respond to a citi-zen’s call for help. Bill Panzone’s wife, Vickie, became a deputy a year before Bill retired. She said that she wasn’t worried about an attack like Bill’s happening to her. She spent a year physically preparing be-fore she started the academy and felt ready to handle the job as a deputy. She knew that as a deputy there are situations that are out of your control, but by being physically and mentally prepared you will survive. Following in the footsteps of their parents, two of Bill and Vickie’s daughters also be-came LASD deputies and another is a Law Enforcement Technician. Despite the devastating injuries Bill suffered in August 1975, he was deter-mined to overcome them and return to full duty. His devotion and determina-tion then encouraged his wife to follow him into the profession. He then reared three daughters who, inspired by their father’s courage and their mother’s dedication and service, also chose to enter the law enforcement profession. Bill Panzone is an inspira-tion and his story tells us much. Never give up in a fight and don’t let any ob-stacle stop you. You are always being watched. The effect you have on those around you is more profound than you realize. The LASD legacy of the Panzone family is testament to that.
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Panzone Family - Left to Right -
Deputy Sheri Panzone, Sgt Vickie Panzone, Nicolas
Panzone, Law Enforcement Technician Nicloe
Panzone and Deputy Alyx Panzone
Photos Copyrighted by “The Los Angeles Sheriffs’ Museum”
The Wives Behind the Badge, Inc.
K.A.R.E. program offers assistance
and resources for K9 officers and edu-
cates the community on K9 programs
and the vital role they play in law
enforcement.
24
K.A.R.E
Introducing and welcoming to our WBTB K-9 Family:
Officer Kribs and K-9 Bobby of Grand Rapids Police Department
Officer Kribs’s wife has been a member of our online forums for
three months. She enjoys having a group of supportive women
that truly understand the LEO life. We asked her to give an in-
side look into her fun-filled busy life as a K-9 mom and here is
what she had to say:
How many kids (human and animal) do you have?
Ashley: We have two daughters, Maison who is three and
Delaney who is twenty-two months old. We also have a
maltese dog named Magglio
How long has your hubby been in the law enforcement field?
Ashley: He has been serving as an officer for six years,
and as a K-9 handler for two years.
What do you do for a living?
Ashley: I am a Credit Analyst for Gordon Food Service
How has your lives changed the most introducing a K-9 officer to
the family?
Ashley: We have had to adjust to a large energetic dog
with a need for constant attention. We enjoy teaching
our girls the responsibility in helping with our dogs. It is
truly amazing to see K-9 Bobby’s temperament change between work life and
home life.
Any tips you or your hubby have for future K-9 families?
Ashley: Make training the dog a family activity. Include your kids and family
members to be involved and interact with the dog to help him adjust to being a
true part of the family.
Slidell Police Department
thought it was “no big deal,”
but I to this pup it meant her
entire life! Wives Behind the
Badge is proud to share this
story as our featured Hero of
the Month Officer Ronnie Gonzalez of Slidell Police Depart-
ment. Here is what their public
relations department had to share
about it on their Facebook page:
“Sometimes it’s nice to hear a
good story that doesn’t involve
crime…so here it goes! Today,
during the midst of the heavy
rainstorm, Slidell Police received a
report of a dog that was drowning
in drainage ditch off of Fremaux
Avenue. The small dog apparently
had fell into the drainage ditch
and was struggling to stay above
water, was exhausted, and was
visibly distraught. Officer Ronnie Gonzalez arrived, entered
the water during the heavy downpour, and rescued the
dog. SPD was unable to locate the dog’s owner, so she
was turned over to the Slidell Animal Control where she is
doing just fine.”
Thank you to Officer Gonzalez for having such a large
heart for our furry friends out there, and keep up the good
The men and women who
make up our nation’s law
enforcement community
daily perform acts of hero-
ism and bravery. Each
month, Shield Magazine
takes a look at some of
these incredible and noble
deeds to share with you. If
you know of an officer who
deserves to be featured as
our Hero of the Month,
please contact staff writer
Noelle to share your story
at: No-
elle@wivesbehindthebadge
.org
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Introducing and welcoming to our WBTB K-9 Family:
Officer Kribs and K-9 Bobby of Grand Rapids Police Department
