Tag Archives | Spirit of Blue

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK – June 20, 2017 – The Spirit of Blue Foundation is excited to report that it has received a $50,000 cash donation from the National Board of Law Enforcement United (LEU).  The gift was presented to the Spirit of Blue at LEU’s 8th Annual Road to Hope Memorial Ride arrival ceremony held this year at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC on May 12, 2017.  Nearly 1,000 active duty and retired law enforcement officers, along with a number of surviving family members of officers who were lost in the line of duty, rode over 250 miles to honor the sacrifices that fallen officers have made in service to their communities and the families they leave behind.

“Law Enforcement United Is proud to support the Spirit of Blue for a second year in a row.  We are pleased with the efforts they are making in supporting the grants for equipment and training to departments that would otherwise not receive such funds,” commented Wallace “Chad” Chadwick, Executive Director of Law Enforcement United, who also serves as a Sergeant with the Chesapeake (VA) Police Department.  “The efforts that our combined charities are making in the law enforcement community are potentially saving lives with this invaluable equipment.  Law Enforcement United will continue to support Spirit of Blue and its programs as we truly believe in this cause as it is in line with our shared interest.”

Law Enforcement United consists of chapters in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey along with riders who join from a host of other states across the country.  Each rider raises $1,250 on their own to participate in the annual Road to Hope Memorial Ride, which covers the cost of their participation and generates the funds donated to select law enforcement causes.  A subset of riders also participate in Project Active Armor, where riders wear ballistic vests along the entire route of the ride to demonstrate that with today’s body armor it is not only possible to bike 250 miles in their vests, but that there shouldn’t be any reason law enforcement officers can’t wear their armor while on duty.   In addition to the gift made to Spirit of Blue, LEU also presented $100,000 to the Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP) and $450,000 to the Concerns For Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) national organization.  In total, LEU has raised over $5,000,000 since it was founded in 2009.

“We are still early in our relationship with LEU, but already they have exceeded our expectations,” commented Ryan T. Smith, Executive Director of the Spirit of Blue.  “We will be able to do a lot with these funds through our Safety Grant Program, and each one of these dollars will be put to work protecting law enforcement officers across this country.  We have already earmarked $15,000 of this gift toward our annual Tourniquet Project, which will grant 500 tourniquets to law enforcement officers across the country.  That is something that we can all be proud of together.”

Since 2011, the Spirit of Blue Foundation has awarded 45 grants in 23 states valued at nearly $200,000.  The grants have varied from patrol rifles, body armor, riot control gear, AED’s, K9’s, forensic software, flashlights, Police/Youth Dialogue training, night vision optics, LED flares, ballistic helmets and self-contained breathing apparatus.  The Spirit of Blue Foundation deeply appreciates the generosity and support of the national LEU organization, its Board of Directors, their regional divisions and the riders who participate in the Road to Hope Memorial Ride each year.

Law Enforcement United (LEU) awarded the Spirit of Blue Foundation $50,000 at their 8th Annual Road to Hope Memorial Ride arrival ceremony. Presenting the donation from LEU was (left to right) Asst. Executive Director Steve Callow, Director of Outreach Mark Faust, and Executive Director Wallace “Chad” Chadwick. Receiving the donation was Ryan T. Smith, Executive Director of the Spirit of Blue Foundation.

About The Spirit of Blue Foundation

The Spirit of Blue Foundation, based in Rochester, NY, is a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to the enhancement of officer safety and vitality throughout the law enforcement community by promoting public awareness for their protection and fulfilling safety equipment and training needs.  The Spirit of Blue Foundation develops and executes fundraising campaigns nationally with the support of partner non-profits, national retailers and safety equipment manufacturers.  Fundraising proceeds are distributed in the form of Safety Equipment and Training Grants to law enforcement agencies across the country from local to federal levels.  Since 2011 the Foundation has awarded 45 grants in 23 states valued at nearly $200,000.

WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTES – April 11, 2017 – The Spirit of Blue Foundation announced that it has awarded a Safety Equipment Grant to the Leicester Police Department (LPD) for the purchase of personal protective equipment.  LPD received five sets of Damascus FlexForce riot control suits, Damascus Vector gloves and clear impact-resistant riot control shields, valued at $5,691.25.  The equipment will enable LPD officers to adequately protect themselves when responding to riots, protests and other incidents requiring crowd control.

“The Leicester Police Department would like to thank the Spirit of Blue Foundation for providing us with this protective equipment.  The equipment affords officers additional protection in a variety of different scenarios,” said Chief Jim Hurley of the Leicester Police Department.  “The equipment has been placed in ‘go bags’ so that it can be rapidly deployed to officers in Leicester or to other law enforcement agencies in surrounding communities.   The purchase of this equipment, by the Spirit of Blue Foundation, shows that they truly have law enforcement’s back.”

Funding for the grant was provided by a generous gift from The Dunkin’ Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation (DDBRCF), which serves our neighborhoods through children’s health, hunger relief and safety. Since 2006, together with Dunkin’ Brands franchisees, The DDBRCF has awarded $11 million in grants to local charities such as food banks and children’s hospitals.  In total the DDBRCF has enabled Spirit of Blue to make 17 Safety Equipment Grants throughout New England with a total value of more than $100,000.

“Sadly, there are too many examples of speech transitioning into violence, and our nation’s police officers are put at risk when having to respond to keep the peace,” said Ryan T. Smith, Executive Director of the Spirit of Blue.  “Further, the Leicester Police are planning to lend this equipment to neighboring agencies at a moment’s notice when they are faced with similar situations, so the impact of this grant will be felt well beyond just this city.”

Statistics released by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund show that 135 law enforcement officers lost their lives in 2016, an increase of 10% from the prior year.  64 of those officers were firearm related fatalities, representing a 56% increase over 2015.  53 were lost as a result of a traffic related incident.  The reality of these statistics, and the increasing number of underfunded law enforcement agencies across the country, fuel the Spirit of Blue safety grant initiative.

The Spirit of Blue Foundation actively encourages the public at large to honor and appreciate law enforcement officers who serve to protect our communities.  By supporting the Spirit of Blue Foundation, the public can make an impact in the lives of law enforcement officers every day. To learn more about the Spirit of Blue, or make a donation, visit www.spiritofblue.org.

Image Caption – The Leicester Police Department is staging the five sets of granted protective equipment in portable gear bags in their patrol cars for quick deployment.  Included are Damascus FlexForce suits, Damascus Vector gloves and impact-resistant protective shields.

About The Spirit of Blue Foundation

The Spirit of Blue Foundation, based in Rochester, NY, is a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to the enhancement of officer safety and vitality throughout the law enforcement community by promoting public awareness for their protection and fulfilling safety equipment and training needs.  The Spirit of Blue Foundation develops and executes fundraising campaigns nationally with the support of partner non-profits, national retailers and private equipment manufacturers.  Fundraising proceeds are distributed in the form of Safety Grants to law enforcement agencies across the country from local to state levels.

Spirit of Blue Foundation is a charity that grants safety equipment to police agencies in need. They first came to my attention via Blue Force Gear’s efforts to help spread the word about their original fundraiser – the Spirit of Blue Wreath. Well, it’s almost time to hang your Christmas decorations so it’s time to let you know that the wreaths are available once again. $10 from every wreath goes to support Spirit of Blue and will benefit the safety of police officers nationwide. Simply go and order today at http://bit.ly/wreath16.

It has been a particularly heart breaking few days for police officers nation wide. This could be a good way to show your support for the work they do.