Concerns of Police Survivors

C.O.P.S. strives to help survivors heal after a line-of-duty death. By providing grief counseling from mental health professionals, conferences and workshops with pertinent information for survivors, strong peer support, and opportunities to gather with others from similar circumstances, we aim to assist survivors on their grief journey as they move toward healing.

We also provide training to law enforcement personnel on topics such as officer wellness, dealing with the cumulative trauma of a career in law enforcement, suicide prevention, and setting up a plan for agencies to be prepared for handling a line-of-duty death in the unfortunate event that an agency should experience such a tragedy.

In addition, we provide education to the general public on the importance of supporting law enforcement and provide ways for them to show their appreciation with events such as National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and the National Blue Blood Drive.

With a strong National Staff team and the support of 55 Chapters throughout the U.S., we are able to marshal resources, knowledge, and contacts to reach survivors where they are and provide services, programs, and events that assist them on their grief journey and help move them toward hope and healing.

Services include professional counseling, peer support, assistance in understanding and filing for benefits, and support during court cases and subsequent parole hearings when the line-of-duty death is the result of a crime.

Programs include the National Survivors' Conference provided by C.O.P.S. during National Police Week (co-hosted by C.O.P.S.) in our nation's Capitol; National Law Enforcement Conference on Wellness and Trauma; retreats or camps for all survivor groups where survivors meet others in similar situations and support each other, build lasting relationships, receive professional counseling support and attend group sessions on topics geared toward their common issues, and participate in a variety of activities designed to strengthen their bonds and build on their resiliency and confidence; Traumas of Law Enforcement Trainings for officers, agencies, and support staff throughout the U.S.

Events include Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, National Blue Blood Drive, golf tournaments, and CopsWalks where survivors walk to honor fallen officers and support each other.

With the experience, growing technological advances, and innovative ideas of leadership, membership, staff, and volunteers, we are able to efficiently utilize resources from mental health professionals, grants, generous donors, and strong sponsors to grow, change, and improve services, programs, and events to support survivors of line-of-duty deaths as well as law enforcement professionals and bring about positive changes in their quality of life.

Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) was founded in 1984 with an initial membership of 110 survivors and now supports around 55,000 survivors. As law enforcement line-of-duty deaths continue to increase, we continue to expand services, programs, and events to provide for increased numbers of survivors and support law enforcement. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, hundreds of officers were killed by the virus, contracted while on duty as they were serving and protecting their communities. This resulted in a sharp increase in the number of survivors for whom we provide services. Also as a result of the pandemic, many of our programs and activities could not be held in person, and we successfully adapted by providing and supporting opportunities for survivors to give and receive support and share their stories through virtual gatherings that included mental health professional support. C.O.P.S. intends to combine the knowledge and expertise gained over our 37+ year history with the lessons in flexibility and innovation learned during the challenges of 2020 to continue to successfully provide vital services and meet the needs of survivors and those who work in the public safety sector.