* Due to ATF regulations, eligibility is reserved for Arkansas residents

Win a Glock 27 .40 CAL. Pistol courtesy of the Arkansas PBA and Bulldog USA, LLC. or a Ruger 10/22 .22 CAL. Rifle or a Sightmark 4×50 Eclipse Night Vision Monocular. Enter for your chance to win one of these magnificently crafted pieces.

TICKETS: $2/EACH OR $10/6-PACK  The drawing for this raffle will be held on July 7, 2012, and the winner will be notified by phone.  At that time, we will make arrangements to put the prize package in their hands.  Raffle tickets are $2.00 each or 6 for $10.00.

You can enter for a chance to win this great prize package by
CLICKING HERE

You can also purchase tickets by contacting your local chapter president or Sam Keller, AR Division Executive Director skeller@sspba.org or 501-733-8250.

Thanks for your support.

*  The winner is randomly selected via a computer generated program.  PBA and PBF employees are not eligible to participate.

Chad in hospital bed

My name is Chad Penland. I work for the Cary Police Department, assigned to the Traffic Safety Team Motorcycle Unit and I am a motorcycle crash survivor.

On July 15th, 2011, my day started out like any other day on the job as a police officer. However, before this work day would come to a close, my way of life as I had known it for 32 years would be changed forever. On this date, at 4:57 pm, I was involved in an on duty motorcycle crash with a full size pick-up truck. As I was proceeding through an intersection in pursuit of a violator, with my emergency equipment on, the driver of the vehicle turned left in front of me at the intersection of Morrisville Carpenter Rd and NC Hwy 55. I collided with the vehicle and was thrown from my bike. I received major injuries as a result of the collision. Some of those injuries were near fatal. A nurse who was traveling the same route witnessed the accident and immediately came to my aid. She opened my obstructed airway and provided word of comfort until EMS arrived. I remember nothing of the events of that day from the time the accident occurred. My mind ‘woke up’ again four days later when I found myself in Duke University Medical Center. It was only then that I learned I had been involved in a crash and had come within mere minutes of dying on the highway. Over the next twelve days, I underwent numerous surgeries to repair my broken jaw, broken arm and the de-gloving injury received to my right arm.

Before leaving the hospital I was told of the seriousness of my injuries by some of the medical doctors that were treating me. Some of them were also there the day I came into the emergency room by way of ambulance. On the day of the accident my injuries were so severe they immediately called for Duke’s ‘Life Flight’ helicopter to transport me. This plan was changed, however, when it was realized that there was no time to spare. The decision was made to transport me by ambulance. I also learned that upon my arrival to Duke that I was still conscious and asked questions about the seriousness of my injuries. I also wanted to know if I was going to die. According to these doctors, I had about a 90% mortality rate and they were concerned about me living through the night. The force of the collision and the trauma exerted upon my body was nearly equal to me being dropped off a three story building. One doctor told me that had it not been for the nurse that came to my aid that I would have died in less than three minutes. I would have drowned in my own blood due to the severity of my broken jaw and facial injuries. He said he hoped one day I got to meet the woman who was now known as the ‘Angel in Orange’ for the orange shirt she was wearing on the day she saved my life.

Two weeks after being discharged from the hospital, I met the woman who had saved my life that day as I lay dying on the highway. Her name is Jessica Elliott and the events that brought her to me that day are amazing and a true testament to the work of our Lord and Savior. Jessica had left her home in Lynchburg, Virginia on that day as she headed to her brothers home in Cary. Before this day, she had never taken the route that she took on Highway 55. On the day of my accident, she decided to take Highway 55 to try and avoid some of the congestion on I-40. She ended up two cars behind me as the collision in the intersection occurred. She was traveling with her two year old daughter in the vehicle when she left her vehicle to come to my side. By all accounts, her actions saved my life. Even more ironic is the fact that when Jessica was seven years old her dad saved a man’s life that was injured in a motorcycle accident. He left Jessica in his vehicle that day as he went to save that individuals life as well. It is also incredible to note that Jessica’s dad retired as a Virginia State Trooper.

Jessica and I continue to keep in touch and have developed a bond that can’t be broken. Our families are now close and have been woven together as one. Jessica has met many in my police family as well and has attended two ceremonies where our story has been told. I will always be grateful to Jessica because without her I wouldn’t be here to be part of this incredible story.
There are others…so many others that I want to thank. First and foremost, I want to thank the Lord above for guiding the events that day so that I could be here to contribute another day. I want to thank the people who were in the intersection of Morrisville Carpenter Rd and NC Highway 55 that day. These people literally took the shirts off of their backs and ripped them into rags to try and control and stop my bleeding. I want to thank the fifty plus police officers from Cary, Apex, Morrisville, Holly Springs, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, and the NC State Highway Patrol who came to assist that day. I want to thank John Barielle, Christian Hennick and Kevin Pollock who were working with Cary EMS and responded to the scene that day. They were tireless in their efforts as they worked on me all the way to Duke University Medical Center. I want to thank the man I know only by the nickname of ‘Duck’. ‘Duck’ works for the Morrisville Fire Department and drove the EMS unit to the hospital while they attended to me in the back. All of these professionals assured me when they came to see me a few weeks later that my death was never an option for them in the back of that ambulance. I want to thank the of medical doctors at Duke who stayed until 2am the next morning operating on me and doing all they could to save my life.

I want to thank the motor units for the Raleigh Police Department, Morrisville Police Department, UNC-Chapel Hill Campus Police and the NC State Highway Patrol who came to see me on a regular basis and to check on my family. I want to thank everyone in the Cary Police Department who filled the hospital for the entire time I was there and kept reassuring my family that I was strong and a fighter and that everything was going to be ok. I want to thank Lieutenant Tracey Barker, commander of the Traffic Safety Team of the Cary Police Department. Lt. Barker came to see me and my family everyday that I was in the hospital. These visits included multiple visits on the same day. He even came and picked me up on the day I was discharged and took me home. I would like to thank Dr George Edwards Jr., Jo Cullingford and the staff at the Raleigh Hand Center who treated me for seven months of physical therapy for my right arm. They promised to do everything they could do to return my function in my arm to as close to normal as possible. These incredible individuals never gave up on me even during those trying days of self doubt. I want to thank Dr. Jeffrey Jelic and his staff who oversaw the reconstruction of my jaw. Because of their expertise and commitment my jaw has been repaired to the point that it will be normal again. I want to thank Dr. J.D. Smith and his entire staff at Smith Orthodontics. I want to thank Dr. Bruce Howardsby. Dr. Howardsby inspired me to mentally prepare for the challenges ahead and that adversity can be overcome if you focus positively on the task at hand. I want to thank Dr. Samuel DeAngelo who ensured that I got the best possible care for my facial injuries. He has continued to provide me insight and knowledge about my injuries. I would like to thank the members of the Cary Chapter of the NC Police Benevolent Association; especially the Board of Directors. The Cary Chapter’s efforts led to a fund that was set up through the Police Benevolent Foundation. The PBF was able to get immediate financial support to my family as I recovered from my injuries. I would like to thank Randy Byrd who made sure that my family and I had everything we needed even before we could think of it or needed it. I would like to thank Maggie Watkins who was my nurse case manager for workers compensation. Maggie made me a promise in the hospital that if I wanted to return to work she would see that I got the best doctors and surgeons the State of North Carolina had to offer. She said this one day as I was just starting to wake up. After she had made it I remember her saying to someone in the room, “He will probably never remember me being here.” I did remember what she said and I still do. Even though Maggie believed the promise she made me had fallen on deaf ears, she was unwavering in her commitment to keep it. For Maggie, a promise made is a promise kept. Six months later I was able to tell her that I remembered the promise that she had made and that I would always appreciate everything she had done for me. And finally I would like to thank my parents Roger and Linda and my beautiful girlfriend Misty McGee. Not only have they been there to care for me but have supported my decision to return to work and the bike. I am so fortunate to have them in my life.

On February 16, 2012, seven months and one day after the accident, I was released by all my medical doctors to return to full and active duty status with the Cary Police Department. All of my doctors called my recovery nothing short of amazing.

In closing, I wish you knew what it means to me to be able to write this letter that you are reading today. I wish you knew the people I have met along this journey who not only excel in their chosen career, but as human beings. I wish you knew how much people really do care for law enforcement officers and the job that we do. I wish you knew how grateful that I am to be able to return to my chosen profession….to do what I love to do…

*Chad is originally from Burnsville, NC and completed Basic Law Enforcement Training at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College before beginning his law enforcement career with the Burnsville Police Department. He transferred to the Cary Police department in 2003. Chad is currently assigned to the Traffic Safety Team as a motorcycle officer. Chad is a member of the Police Benevolent Association and the Cary chapter.

The Mississippi Division of the Southern States PBA, Inc. and the Police Benevolent Foundation, Inc. have partnered with In Harm’s Way and the Mississippi L.E.A.P.S. programs to educate law enforcement administrators, law enforcement officers and their family members about the hidden dangers of PTSD and its connection to the high rate of law enforcement suicide.

The Virginia PBA and the Police Benevolent Foundation hosted a second in what will be a series of PTSD and suicide prevention seminars on March 28^th.  The Behind the Badge program, which was created with a purpose of combating PTSD and reducing the incidences of law enforcement suicide, is a collaborative effort with the In Harm’s Way and Mississippi L.E.A.P.S. programs headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida and Meridian, Mississippi respectfully.  This event was organized thanks to the interests and efforts of Mark Geier and Lt. Mark Posch – both from the Norfolk Police Department.  Geier, after attending a previous Behind the Badge seminar, realized that it would be a valuable resource for the Norfolk district. He enlisted the help of Lt. Posch and the two secured the use of the Norfolk district station.

Most of the officers who attended the event were public servants from the local police jurisdictions.  Many traveled as far as Richmond to attend.  Because of the severity of the subject matter and the prevalence of suicide within the law enforcement profession, the Foundation works hard to include family members, friends, and administrative personnel in all of our seminars.  Without making a concerted effort to include the peers and familial relations, the efforts to reverse this growing trend of self destruction will be much more difficult.

The most common impressions created by the seminar that (1) law enforcement suicide is a much larger problem than expected, (2) there is a great need for exposure of the ill effects of PTSD and its linkage to suicide, and finally (3) work must be done to reverse the growing trend of law enforcement suicide.

If you would like more information about the Behind the Badge program, or if your department is interested in hosting a seminar, please contact the PBF.  You can also visit our website to find a collection of resources and additional information about this hidden epidemic.  All of us must do our part to affect the change.  Suicide is preventable.

Dear Fellow Law Enforcement Officers and PBA members:

In November of 2010, I went to the doctor’s office with a sinus infection. I also noticed a small bump on my neck, near my right-side lymph node. Although the sinus infection cleared up with antibiotics, the bump was still present. I went to an ear, nose, and throat doctor on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to have the bump tested. After the holiday, I received a telephone call telling me that the bump was positive for cancer. This is when my world turned upside down; both emotionally and physically. This is also when I started an open-ended prayer to God for the doctors, my wife, my children, and for the strength to get through this challenge.

My wife and I sat down with our two children, aged 8 and 12, and tried our best to explain what the doctor had told me in the telephone call. At this point, all I knew was that the cancer was caught early and that I was going to be treated with radiation. These treatments would be for 8 to 10 weeks, 5 days a week. I had no idea what to expect and how my body would react to the radiation. I weighed approximately 220 lbs. at my first doctor’s visit.

I told my supervisors at work about the news and they were nothing but supportive from the beginning. I was just counting down the days until I started my treatment. During this time, Randy Byrd (President – Cary Chapter of the North Carolina Police Benevolent Association) approached me and offered his support and explained how the Police Benevolent Foundation could help. At the time, I just wanted to be rid of the cancer and wasn’t thinking about the financial implications. What I was about to find out was how amazing a group of fellow law enforcement officers could be when a brother was in need.

The Police Benevolent Foundation set up an account so that donations could be taken for my medical bills. Individuals were allowed to make these donations through Wachovia bank, online with their credit card, and by texting through their cell phone. Without the Police Benevolent Foundation I would not have been able to pay all the bills that would start coming in.

At the beginning of December 2010, I had my first surgery to remove my tonsils and a small cancerous lump behind them. I was told I had ‘Tonsil Cancer’ and that this had caused the lymph node to swell.

After the Christmas holiday I had surgery to insert a feeding tube. According to the doctors, I would get to a point where I would be unable to eat, drink, due to the radiation treatments. I tried to eat everything I could before the treatment started because of the weight loss that I would experience.

I started treatment at UNC Cancer Center in Raleigh. These weekly treatments became a way of life for me. I was able to work for a short time before I started feeling the side effects and had to be at home.

As the treatments continued I was unable to eat, drink, or talk due to the soreness and the raw areas in my throat. I had to rely on the formula to feed myself through the feeding tube that was inserted in my stomach after Christmas. I was unable to keep working and would remain out of work for several months. During this time, there were several co-workers who showed up at my house with food for my family. They were truly a blessing to us.

The Cary chapter continued to raise additional funds by partnering with the PBF and a local car wash for a fundraiser. Tony and Bunkey Morgan (owners of Bunkey’s Car Wash) donated their businesses and paid their employees to assist with the effort. Numerous PBA members came out to support the cause at two locations. My wife Donna and my daughter Ashley went to one of the locations because I continued to be bed ridden. They were treated like family by all that were there. The funds that were raised at the car wash continued to help with my mounting medical bills. At this point I remember praying and thinking, “Wow, this is how God works miracles.”

As my treatments progressed it became more difficult to get through each one. I also wasn’t able to take care of the upkeep around our home. At this moment, God stepped in again, and showed me his kindness. I would be lying in bed and I would hear a lawn mower start up. It would be a co-worker mowing my grass like it was his own yard. This would go on every week for several weeks. On several occasions he would bring other co-workers and they would look like professionals manicuring my yard.

I finally reached the end of my radiation treatments and the doctors were ready to take out my feeding tube. They only had one condition. I had to put on some weight. At this point I weighed approximately 160 lbs. I started to eat some regular food and the doctor saw that I was able to survive without the formula that had gotten me to this point.

I had now been out of work for several months. I had exhausted my sick and vacation leave. The Cary chapter board, however, had previously worked with Town Council members to adopt a ‘Shared Leave’ policy for town employees. Numerous employees were able to help me at this time by donating vacation time for me to use. This provided a paycheck for my family that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

On July 5, 2011, three months after the feeding tube came out, I returned to work at a weight of 165lbs. The doctors had told me that I would lose my sense of taste during the treatments but that it would return in time. Some of my sense of taste has returned and I continue to slowly gain weight. The cancer is gone, for now and for the next five years I will go back periodically to be tested. Hopefully, the cancer will never return.

In closing, I want to thank everyone who stepped up to the plate to help me in my time of need. I am especially grateful for the doctors who provided for my medical needs and my wife Donna who never left my side. Thanks are also in order for those amazing co-workers who cut my yard and never wanted anything but to see me well. I have two amazing children and they became my heroes during this ordeal. I will always be thankful for them and for being so brave in an uncertain time for their dad. I also want to thank the PBA and the PBF for supporting a member in need. It truly meant the world to me.

Sincerely,
Matt Long
Cary Chapter

*Matt started his law enforcement career with the Washington DC Metro Police Department and later worked for the Mesa Arizona Police Department before coming to the Town of Cary as an officer in 2004. Matt is currently assigned to a specialty team. In 2007, he was recognized as the Crisis Intervention Team Officer of the Year for the Cary Police Department by the National Alliance on Mental Health-Wake County Chapter. Matt is originally from Maryland and has an Associate degree in criminal justice from Prince Georges County Community College. He currently resides with his wife and children in Fuquay Varina.

In a recent report conducted by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund, a disturbing trend was uncovered.  Although the past year saw an increase in police officer “in the line of duty” deaths, there was a sharp spike in firearms related deaths. The 153 to 173 increase (a 13% rise) that occurred from 2010 to 2011 includes a 15% increase in deaths that resulted from gunfire. This was the greatest increase in over fourteen years. Even more disturbing is the fact that, since 2008, there has been a 70% increase in police officer deaths as result of gunfire.

The states with most fatalities include Florida, which leads the nations (14) led the nation, Texas (13), New York (11), California (10) and Georgia (10). In total, more than a third of the police officer deaths that occurred in 2011 can be found in these states.

Of the 172 officers killed in 2011, 68 of them were killed by gunfire.

Included in the latest research is a fact that should concern every officer.  That fact centers around the number 27 – which is the number of officers who died as a result of “physically-related” reasons.  This includes heart-attacks and physical stress due to undiagnosed illnesses and/or poor physical health.  Maintaining adequate physical health is a vital part of the law enforcement profession, and every officer should work toward improving his or her physical health.

To read more of the NLEOMF report, please click here.