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JULY 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 7

  • Text
  • Provaznik
  • Applicant
  • Applicants
  • Academy
  • Retirement
  • Langley
  • Salary
  • Wardens
  • Enforcement
  • Blues
• Lone Star Law's - Game Warden Jennifer Provaznik • The History of Game Wardens in Texas • July 4th Warstories • Outdoors with Rusty Barron • Healing our Heroes with Retired NYPD Detective John Salerno • Daryl Lott talks about Janus of Rome • Dr. Tina Jaeckle talks with One Tribe Foundation CEO Jacob Schick • HPOU President Douglas Griffith talks about public's attitude toward officers

This editorial will be

This editorial will be rather difficult to write. I’m quite sure you’ll find it rather difficult to digest. But this needs to be talked about. It needs to be brought out into the light, from the darkness of hidden truth. When a law enforcement officer dies in the line of duty, he or she is provided a state funeral. 21-gun salute, TAPS, bag pipes, everything. And that’s rightfully so. What I call your attention to is those officers who are seriously injured and survive their grievous injuries. Whether by gunfire, a blade, a violent and relentless assault or motor vehicle car crash. Those officers and their families are taxed with the steady influx of their “regular” bills, compounded by the arrival of all the medical bills. Then to add insult to injury, workers comp denies tests and medications time and time again, citing, not within their responsibility. Department heads defer to their city or county officials for “guidance” in such circumstances and are subsequently, released from all blame. Or are who were shot, stabbed, beaten or in some other manner, injured in the line of duty. We collectively owe this to those brave men and women and their families. We just do. To make private organizations, such as the 100 Club or private citizens organize private fundraisers just so the injured officer’s family can put food on the table is fundamentally WRONG. Yes, I know the age old saying, “That’s just the way it is.” Well, maybe so. That certainly doesn’t make it right. In fact, it’s just plain wrong. For example, when Deputy Sheriff Whitten at Liberty County Sheriff’s Office selflessly stood between an active shooter and more potential innocent victims, he sustained a catastrophic injury due to gunfire, which left him paralyzed from the chest down. Workers comp didn’t give a damn about his life, his bravery, his sacrifice, or his family. They wouldn’t help with a ramp for his home. They wouldn’t help with a wheelchair accessible van, for transport to and from all the numerous doctor’s appointments he had to endure. The men and women of the LCSO built that ramp for him and him paralyzed and unable to provide for his family. His family has endured years of struggles and failures by those who were supposed to be there for them, when they were needed the most. It would seem our state legislators could find the funds in their huge budget to lend a hand. I mean, there are some smaller, more rural agencies who absolutely do not have the resources even if they wanted to help. We are fortunate here in the greater Houston area to have departments with multimillion budgets. To abandon these men and women who are injured, and suffering is morally wrong. It is a terrible injustice and a blight on our profession which needs to not only be addressed but resolved. This is Texas. We should be doing better. We need to be doing better. Texas has shown the nation and the world just how we get things done for over two hundred years. This is another opportunity for Texas to show everyone else how it’s done. To show Texans truly do Back the Blue and care enough to not just honor our fallen but to honor those who were they? As a department, how can his family. The 100 Club of Houston purchased the van and had it duty. also seriously injured in the line of any of you just stand by and KeyWarden is the Texas distributor of Morse Watchmans industry-leading key and asset management systems. We are actively involved watch a member of your team, all outfitted for him. Unfortunately, Deputy Whitten passed prior compassion from workers comp Police Chiefs Association, the East Texas Police Chiefs Association, the High Plains Police Chiefs Association, and the Central Texas Police The lack of understanding and in the Texas Law Enforcement community as a founding member of the East Texas 100 club, and corporate members of the North Texas your family lay there, severely injured, doing exactly what you to ever getting to use that vehicle. when it comes to injured law Chiefs Association. We are proud to participate in the TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE. asked of them, watch their loved All the while, workers comp cared enforcement officers is a tremendous blight upon our state. We THE KEYWATCHER TOUCH SYSTEM is deployed in the law enforcement environment to: ones suffer with the trauma of less. They weren’t going to do a • Securely dispense track and audit the use of keys to: vehicles, facilities, lockers and their new “reality” and loss of thing they absolutely didn’t have need to not just talk about it but other high-value assets. income and do nothing? to do. fix it. We’re Texans, and correcting • Prevent unauthorized staff from driving specialist vehicles, or racking up miles on the I respectfully submit, perhaps Another local example of an injured injustices is what we’re famous newer fleet while older units sit idle. the state of Texas should step hero denied help by workers for. • Allow management to compel the use of vehicle pools rather than staff controlling the in and say “ENOUGH!” We need comp, Houston Police Officer John And to all those injured in the keys to particular units. to be taking care of our injured Cortez. He was ambushed and Line of Duty, please know that you • Quicker and more efficient shift changes. • Control the keys to facilities and mandate accountability. law enforcement officers. Those shot multiple times, also leaving 19015 Gentle Knoll are not forgotten. • Managing and controlling access to assets stored in lockers. San Antonio, Texas 78258 10 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE As a Texas-based company, we provide on site evaluation, implementation, training and support of the KeyWatcher System. We are also a member of BuyBoard and offer discounted pricing and ease of purchase. Office: The BLUES 830-214-0867 POLICE MAGAZINE Fax: 775-898-1807 11 www.keywarden.com - click here to email us

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