It's been a busy month!

Thanks to a great partnership with CHEP, we had the privilege of presenting to a large group of medical professionals yesterday on the campus of the VA Medical Center at Perry Point, MD.  Several law enforcement officers also attended the day-long seminar, which was entitled "Understanding Cop-Killers."

The in-depth discussion in class added some interesting perspective on the issue of violence against police from the mental health professionals' perspective.  Thank you to everyone who attended, and to Cathy Bennett and Alyssa Stone for making the seminar possible.  We look forward to another opportunity to present for CHEP soon.

Police Week has come to Washington, DC again.  It is an emotional time for police officers, their families and departments around the country, who will gather to celebrate the lives and losses of fallen police officers.  It is a time of grief and it never gets any easier.

This year, I am reaching out to police departments around the country to assist me with the reviewing the content of Officer Down 2013.  I have been overwhelmed by the kindness of those who have responded to my requests for help.  Police chiefs, sheriffs and street cops who knew and worked with the officers in my book have been coming forward to speak with me about their knowledge of the incidents that claimed the lives of their friends and colleagues.  At times, I have been wrong about things I wrote and they have been quick to both correct me and to forgive my mistakes.  They have been willing to share their own reports, after action reviews and thoughts on what happened and why.  Emotions can come into play during these discussions, and I welcome the input, even when it is critical.  Telling fallen officers' stories is simply too important.

Officer  Down 2013 is rolling out as soon as I get the feedback I am waiting for from departments all over the country.  The stories of the heroes in this year's edition are worth knowing and remembering.  

Image: U.S. Marshals shirt available at www.sallyscopshop.com