Keeping you on the Inside Track on events, news and more at Behind the Badge Foundation
The Insider
June 2023 | Issue #33
How did it get to be June?
by Brian Johnston
Executive Director
Behind the Badge Foundation
May is a very busy month for all of us at Behind the Badge Foundation. With the completion of Washington State recognition of our fallen officers at the annual Peace Officers Memorial and Medal of Honor Ceremony to the ceremonies and seminars held in Washington DC through National Police Week, we take a breath and reflect on this moment in time and “Our Families” who allow us to stand with them and share in what might be described as one overwhelmingly profound experience with deep meaning followed by another and yet another.
Family is a term we use almost every day at BtBF. Generally, it’s in reference to our greater law enforcement family. Often times it refers to a specific family who has suffered the loss of a law enforcement officer in the line of duty. Throughout the month of May, as we continue to honor our fallen, “Family” becomes synonymous with the collective of surviving family members who are now experiencing their grief journey not just locally but now on a much bigger national stage.
This focus on "Our Families" provides us with a valuable opportunity for introspection. It reiterates the profound impact that law enforcement careers have on the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice as well as those families who continue to serve and protect our communities.
Moreover, in our expressions of honor for those we have lost, May provides us with the additional opportunity to continue our understanding of the human side of that loss. By listening to the stories and experiences shared by our families, we gain even more insight into the complex dynamics they navigate. It reminds us that as they move through their grief journey, they have hopes, dreams, and vulnerabilities. And through these experiences, we learn to better help, better support, and better empathize with the next Family who might have to walk in these same steps in the future.
With an abundance of respect and love to Our Families
-Brian
Washington Honor Guard in front of the Captial in Washington D.C. during National Police Week 2023.
Washington officer family member during the May 15th National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service.
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Here is to all of the men in our lives that have been the person we needed most. From our hearts to yours on this Father's Day.
-Behind the Badge Foundation
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Behind the Badge Foundation and Deer Hollow are pleased to announce the continuation of this highly reviewed Trauma-Focused Mental Health & Wellness training. Our respected, experienced presenters will share lifesaving content and lead critical conversations regarding Post Traumatic Stress in the first responder field. Attendees will leave with an actionable ‘tactical toolkit’ for themselves, their peers, and their families.
