published in Police Line-Of-Duty Deaths, Workplace Safety by Maryanne | May 10, 2012 | 1 Comment
Protecting the Line
By Maryanne Pope
The warrior fights because he believes that he is fighting for something good, something positive, something that will improve the quality of the world around him.
— Richard J. Machowicz, Unleashing the Warrior Within
Last month I attended a seminar in Victoria by the trainer, Brian Willis. Brian’s presentation was entitled Harnessing the Winning Mind and Warrior Spirit. The intended audience for this particular seminar was police officers, peace officers and military personnel. I am, of course, none of these.
As a writer, the chance of me getting into a gunfight any time soon is slim.
Interestingly, however, I was the one taking the most notes during the seminar – eighteen pages, to be precise. For a writer, the nuggets of wisdom gleaned were pure gold. And I’ve attended Brian’s seminars multiple times over the years. But every time I hear him speak, I not only learn new things, I’m also reminded of ideas I’ve already learned but have forgotten.
During last month’s presentation, one new component that Brian has implemented into his seminar, since I last heard him speak, was a clip from the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund’s (JPMF) Put Yourself in Our Boots safety video: “The Story of John” part.
Just in case you’re a reader who doesn’t know my background, I was married to John, who was a police officer who died in the line of duty in 2000. John died from brain injuries sustained after a preventable fall at an unsafe workplace, while investigating a suspected break and enter. There was no safety railing in place to warn him of the danger.
After Brian showed the clip from the Boots video, he went on to explain to the group what the JPMF does in terms of raising public awareness about workplace safety issues facing emergency responders – and why our safety messages matter.
“We cannot measure what we prevent,” he said, matter-of-factly. “But let me tell you this, the JPMF is saving lives and preventing injuries.”
So there’s me, in the back row, madly scribbling all this down. I’m the Board Chair of the JPMF, for God’s Sakes – I’m supposed to know this stuff like the back of my hand!
And I do – but hearing someone outside the JPMF articulate it, in such a powerful and succinct way, was extremely insightful.
A little later in the seminar, this quote appeared on the overhead screen:
Spartans excuse without penalty the warrior who loses his helmet or breastplate in battle, but punish with loss of citizenship rights the man who discards his shield. A warrior carries a helmet and breastplate for his own protection – but his shield is for the protection of the whole line.
— Steven Pressfield, Gates of Fire
Clunk…another truth hit home for the writer in the back row.
This is exactly what the police officers who started the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund did (and still do today, along with many other people): they chose to protect the line.
For to them, to have let John’s preventable death go unaddressed would have been akin to discarding their shields – because what happened to John could happen to any police officer.
And then I thought further: what is a police badge but a smaller version of a shield? And how did those police officers start the JPMF? They had memorial pins made that had John’s badge/regimental number on them – and then sold the pins to other officers, friends and family.
Today, the JPMF is a charitable organization that educates people about how and why to make workplaces and roads safer, so as to help ensure emergency responders make it home safely to their families after every shift.
In other words, the JPMF is like a modern-day shield that serves to help protect the line of police officers, firefighters, peace officers, paramedics, etc, so they can do their job.
Here are three ways you can help:
1. View the safety videos and help spread the word
2. Donate
3. Volunteer
Maryanne Pope is the Board Chair of the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund and the author of A Widow’s Awakening.
published in Grief, Police Line-Of-Duty Deaths, Workplace Safety by admin | February 2, 2012 | No Comment
POLICE WIDOW’S BOOK GIVES CANDID INSIGHT INTO LINE OF DUTY DEATH
Wed Feb 1, 2012 – When Const. John Petropoulos, a Canadian police officer fell to his death in Sept 2000, his widow, Maryanne Pope, was forced to accept the unacceptable.
John was searching a warehouse during the investigation of a suspected break-and-enter when he stepped through an unmarked false ceiling. There was no safety railing to warn him – or anyone else – of the danger. There ended up being no intruder in the building.
More than a decade later, the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund (JPMF) raises public awareness about workplace safety issues facing emergency responders – on both sides of the border. The Fund’s 5 TV public service announcements have aired well over half a million times in Canada and parts of the States. The powerful 10-minute safety video, Put Yourself in Our Boots, is being shown in safety meetings, conferences and community presentations throughout North America.
Since Const. Petropoulos’ death, 1795 American police officers have died in the line of duty*
“Is this acceptable?” asks Pope.
Most of these deaths were preventable, as was Cst Petropoulos’. “There is a myth,” says Pope, “that when a police officer dies in the line of duty, it is tragic, yes – but it is an accepted risk of the job. In reality, many police officer deaths can be prevented, when communities work together to help minimize the risks.”
Pope points to the Jan 21, 2012 death of Officer Garret Davis of the Honolulu Police Department in Hawaii. “Our SLOW DOWN; It’s No Picnic Out Here public service announcement addresses the significant issue of officers getting struck by passing motorists while on the road (either in or out of their police vehicle) while carrying out their duties. The PSA educates motorists about the importance of slowing down when passing emergency services personnel on the road…and giving them room to work.
Sadly, 11 U.S. police officers were struck and killed in traffic-related incidents in 2010**, highlighting the importance for motorists to pay attention and slow down.
Another way Pope is striving to raise public awareness about workplace issues facing emergency responders is through her creative non-fiction book, A Widow’s Awakening. It was published through her company, Pink Gazelle Productions, in 2008 and has sold over 1500 copies. With the audio version now available, the author hopes to reach more people with her message about the horrific personal impacts of a police officer’s death.
“A Widow’s Awakening,” Pope admits, “is not an easy read, I realize that.”
Click here to hear a short audio clip (1 min 30 sec) from A Widow’s Awakening.
“You almost want to apologize,” wrote Michael Platt of the Calgary Sun newspaper, “reading Maryanne Pope’s account of her husband’s death. So vivid is her description, you feel like an intruder…a voyeuristic journey both heart wrenching and uncomfortable.”
“But by demonstrating the reality,” Pope explains, “of the immense impacts on the loved ones left behind, it is my hope that more people will take a moment to stop, look around their workplace from the perspective of an emergency responder who may have to attend during an emergency, and ask themselves: is it safe…for everyone? If not, then make a change.”
“If people make their workplaces safer for emergency responders,” concurs Ian Wilson, Managing Director of the JPMF, “they also make it safer for everybody, including their own employees, visitors and service workers.”
Sadly, A Widow’s Awakening often strikes an all too familiar chord with readers. “My husband was killed in the line of duty in August 2007 while attempting to make an arrest,” wrote another police widow. “It was the most horrible time of my life. I could relate to your story all too well.”
“There is tremendous honour in dying in the line of duty,” says Pope. “But at the end of the day, it gave me little solace to know that John gave his life protecting a premise that did not need protecting.”
Click here to listen to another audio clip (this one from John’s funeral, 1 min 30 sec) from A Widow’s Awakening.
For further information on the JPMF and the public education resources available, please visit www.jpmf.ca. To have the Fund’s TV public service announcements aired through your local media, please contact Ian Wilson at ian@jpmf.ca.
For information or to purchase a print copy of A Widow’s Awakening, click here. All proceeds from print copies sold through the JPMF go to the JPMF.
To purchase the audio book, click here.
*Source: National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
For further inquiries, please contact:
Ian Wilson
Managing Director, John Petropoulos Memorial Fund
ian@jpmf.ca
(403) 891-4269
published in Grief, Police Line-Of-Duty Deaths, Workplace Safety by admin | February 2, 2012 | No Comment
POLICE WIDOW’S BOOK GIVES CANDID INSIGHT INTO LINE OF DUTY DEATH
Wed Feb 1, 2012 – When Const. John Petropoulos, a Calgary police officer fell to his death in Sept 2000, his widow, Maryanne Pope, was forced to accept the unacceptable.
John was searching a warehouse during the investigation of a suspected break-and-enter when he stepped through an unmarked false ceiling. There was no safety railing to warn him – or anyone else – of the danger. There ended up being no intruder in the building.
More than a decade later, the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund (JPMF) raises public awareness about workplace safety issues facing emergency responders. The Fund’s 5 TV public service announcements have aired well over half a million times. The powerful 10-minute safety video, Put Yourself in Our Boots, is being shown in safety meetings, conferences and community presentations throughout North America.
Since Const. Petropoulos’ death, 78 Canadian police officers have died in the line of duty*.
“Is this acceptable?” asks Pope.
Most of these deaths were preventable, as was Cst Petropoulos’. “There is a myth,” says Pope, “that when a police officer dies in the line of duty, it is tragic, yes – but it is an accepted risk of the job. In reality, many police officer deaths can be prevented, when communities work together to help minimize the risks.”
Another way Pope is striving to raise public awareness about workplace issues facing emergency responders is through her creative non-fiction book, A Widow’s Awakening. It was published through her company, Pink Gazelle Productions, in 2008 and has sold over 1500 copies. With the audio version now available, the author hopes to reach more people with her message about the horrific personal impacts of a police officer’s death.
“A Widow’s Awakening,” Pope admits, “is not an easy read, I realize that.”
Click here to hear a short audio clip (1 min 30 sec) from A Widow’s Awakening.
“You almost want to apologize,” wrote Michael Platt of the Calgary Sun newspaper, “reading Maryanne Pope’s account of her husband’s death. So vivid is her description, you feel like an intruder…a voyeuristic journey both heart wrenching and uncomfortable.”
“But by demonstrating the reality,” Pope explains, “of the immense impacts on the loved ones left behind, it is my hope that more people will take a moment to stop, look around their workplace from the perspective of an emergency responder who may have to attend during an emergency, and ask themselves: is it safe…for everyone? If not, then make a change.”
“If people make their workplaces safer for emergency responders,” concurs Ian Wilson, Managing Director of the JPMF, “they also make it safer for everybody, including their own employees, visitors and service workers.”
Sadly, A Widow’s Awakening often strikes an all too familiar chord with readers. “My husband was killed in the line of duty in August 2007 while attempting to make an arrest,” wrote another police widow. “It was the most horrible time of my life. I could relate to your story all too well.”
“There is tremendous honour in dying in the line of duty,” says Pope. “But at the end of the day, it gave me little solace to know that John gave his life protecting a premise that did not need protecting.”
Click hereto listen to another audio clip (this one from John’s funeral, 1 min 30 sec) from A Widow’s Awakening.
For further information on the JPMF and the public education resources available, please visit www.jpmf.ca. To have the Fund’s TV public service announcements aired through your local media, please contact Ian Wilson at ian@jpmf.ca.
For information or to purchase a print copy of A Widow’s Awakening, click here. All proceeds from print copies sold through the JPMF go to the JPMF.
To purchase the audio book, here is the link.
*Source: Officer Down Memorial Page Canada
For further inquiries, please contact:Ian Wilson
Managing Director, John Petropoulos Memorial Fund
ian@jpmf.ca
(403) 891-4269