On 10/29/18 Detective and current TPOA President Hering retired from the Tigard Police Department after a long-distinguished career. Detective Hering has long served on the TPOA board in several capacities including Vice President and President.  His presence and leadership on the board will greatly be missed.  Have fun in the next chapter of your life. 

On 7/9/18 Officer Ranum retired from the Tigard Police Department and was awarded his retirement gift from current TPOA President Hering. Officer Ranum had a long-distinguished career including a long service on the TPOA board.  His presence and leadership on TPOAs board will greatly be missed.  Have fun in the next chapter of your life.

Nick Nunn, TPOA President, represented Tigard Police at the 2nd Annual Oregon Law Enforcement Ball and Auction, held on January 26, 2019 at the Hilton in downtown Portland. The event supported the Oregon Fallen Badge Foundation, which is dedicated to remembering our fallen and their families through the highest order of honor, ceremony, and tradition.

What a roller coaster of a year it has been for our Brother in Blue, Officer Matt Barbee.

On December 14, 2017, Matt Barbee was injured in an off-duty traffic accident while driving home from work. As a result of the accident, Matt’s prognosis was dire. We rallied to support Matt and his family, with officers remaining by Matt’s side 24 hours a day for the first week. Within two weeks, Matt’s outlook began to change. Matt, only Matt, could survive such a horrific accident! We began to focus on Matt’s future.

City of Tigard employee donations of time poured in quickly, with five months of donated time in place to keep Matt’s family income status quo as he continued to face what was ahead. Surgeries brought hope, but new concerns also emerged. There was no greater joy, though, as we all celebrated the tales of Matt requesting McDonald’s hamburgers and milkshakes, or walking into his hospital room and having him call you by name. We were all truly amazed. But, again… only Matt! We would expect nothing less than a miracle now.

The fundraising began almost immediately. Donations poured in at our Christmas party. Although a private party with just Matt’s coworkers present, the wallets opened. After all, it was for Matt. Online fundraising through the TPOA website reached concerned folks, near and far. The Tigard community, friends, and friends of friends, alike, gave what they could. A local pub, Tapphoria, held a fundraiser. The raffle prizes donated by a number of local businesses and a night of hope and joy raised a significant amount of money. Most importantly, it was all for Matt.

After months of reaching out, press releases, and social media awareness, we closed out the fundraiser and gave a check of more than $44,000 to Matt’s family. Matt was home, and now his recovery began. Matt will always face physical limitations due to the extent of his injuries, and healing from his traumatic brain injury is still part of the great unknown. It has been a year, quite a year on this roller coaster.

The man responsible for Matt’s accident has had his day in court and has started to serve his time. Regardless, no amount of jail time can turn back the clock and return Matt to his life before December 14, 2017. This week, Matt’s career with the Tigard Police Department officially closes, as he continues to focus on his recovery. Matt will forever be a “Brother in Blue,” that we surely know. It remains to be seen how far Matt can progress in his recovery - that chapter has yet to be written. We do know that if you know Matt, like we do, absolutely anything is possible.  

Our annual fundraiser is back! We would like to thank you for your support of the men and women of our Police Association who protect us each and every day. A police officer’s job can be stressful and demanding, but we take great pride in helping our fellow citizens whenever we get the chance. It’s not just our job, it’s our honor to serve.

Please join in our mission, and support the men and women of law enforcement, Donate Here!

Our officers frequently go into harm’s way to protect our community and defend our freedoms. When an officer is critically injured and their family needs support, WE are there. Our law enforcement Association provides the necessary support for medical bills, funeral expenses, and other critical needs. We stand by our officers and their families in times of need, and we are hoping you will stand side-by-side with us as partners.

YOUR generous donation will also help us support our community through programs like community outreach, little leagues, families in need, and other worthy causes. Click here to learn more about our efforts to improve our community.

That’s why we are asking for your Help, Please Donate Today!

YOU can join our police family and be part of a community team that connects us all!

Thank YOU for your time, your donation, and your committed support!

Highest Regards,
Tigard Police Officers' Association

9/11 Memorial Stair Climbs are a way for the law enforcement family, and the community to honor and remember the firefighters who selflessly gave their lives so that others might live.

Learn more about 9/11 Memorial Stair Climbs

https://www.firehero.org/events/9-11-stair-climbs/

Indianapolis police officers escorted fallen Southport Lt. Aaron Allan's 6-year-old son to his first day of school August 8th, 2018.  

"We wanted to make sure this year we were here for little Aaron to make sure he got to school safe, just like his dad did about a year ago," said Southport Police Chief Tom Vaughn. "All those police cars down the street, I didn't imagine that many officers coming. We talk about the blue family and today really showed we are a true family."

Read Full Story - Click Below

https://www.wthr.com/article/police-officers-escort-lt-allans-son-first-day-school

With police deaths up almost 60% since last year, this video discusses what is in the works for how to end the war on cops.

New legislation, more community engagement, and bringing positive news to the forefront are some of the solutions in discussion.

To watch the full video, see the link below:

http://video.foxnews.com/v/5784427821001/?#sp=show-clips

Taking a closer look at the dangers of being in law enforcement and knowing what has caused several deaths in the line of duty can help officers train more effectively to prevent more deaths in the future. A recent study has been released that outlines the biggest causes of officer deaths.

The top 3 findings were that 41% of fatal calls were domestic related, 47% of officers killed in car crashes were not wearing their seat belts, and 5% of officers were accidentally shot by other officers.

Click on the link below to read the full article.

https://www.policeone.com/Officer-Safety/articles/473811006-Making-It-Safer-NLEOMF-report-details-seven-years-of-LE-fatality-trends/

This year, from May 13th to May 19th, thousands of police officers, law enforcement professionals, friends, family, and survivors, gather in Washington D.C for National Police Week. In 2017 alone, 129 officers were killed in the line of duty. Since 1791, a total of 21,541 officers have lost their lives in the line of duty.

One of the most moving ceremonies is the Annual Candlelight Vigil, where the names of fallen officers will be forever etched into the Memorial Wall. Unlike many memorials in Washington D.C, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is ever-changing as new names are added each year. A wreath will be laid for each fallen hero and their names will be read aloud to the thousands of people and loved ones.

For most, these touching events are a way of honoring the fallen, saying goodbye to their loved ones, or paying tribute to the brothers and sisters in blue who made the ultimate sacrifice. During Police Week, let us all take a moment to remember and recognize the heroes who laid down their own lives for the safety of ours. “The wicked flee when no man pursues but the righteous are bold as a lion”.

To learn more about Police Week, click here.

As of today, Matt Barbee will be spending the next few weeks at an acute rehabilitation center preparing for the transition to his home with his family.  Unfortunately, Matt has a long uphill climb to recovery and will need continuous care once he arrives at home.  Over the last several weeks, Matt has been through operations and procedures that have been very trying for his family and friends. On behalf of his family and the Tigard Police Officers’ Association, we would like to thank the men and women of the Tigard Police Department, City of Tigard, the Tigard community, local media and the hundreds of volunteers that have donated and helped the Barbee’s with support.  It has truly been overwhelming to see what great support our brother has received in such a time of need. 

 

Sincerely,

Jeff Hering

President

Tigard Police Officers’ Association

The Tigard Police Officers’ Association would like to express our gratitude for your overwhelming generosity during our “Red, White, Blue, and YOU” fundraising campaign. We truly live by our campaign slogan “One Nation, One Community, Many Voices, Under the Banner of Unity.” Together we do make our community a better and safe place to live and work.

We are honored to have your continued support, and we pledge to uphold our promises to give back to the community that we love.

Thank you to all of the donors who helped us reach our annual goal. Your generosity will make a difference that will benefit all our officers, fallen heroes and their families.

Sincerely,
Tigard Police Officers’ Association

On behalf of our officers and our fellow citizens, the Tigard Police Officers’ Association is asking you today for your support. While our nation is facing unprecedented times, we are thankful for our community who has stayed strong and united and we value the support you have shown our officers.   

Donate Here Today!

The Tigard Police Officers’ Association is dedicated to safety and improving our community, but we need your help! Your support will allow us to continue to fund the much-needed areas within our community, such as: Police Officer Memorial & Survivors Funds, Community Outreach Events, Youth Programs, and much more!

Your generosity will make a difference that will benefit all our officers, fallen heroes, and families.

Join us as we launch this year's’ campaign, “Red, White, Blue and YOU: One Nation, One Community, Many Voices, Under the Banner of Unity.” Our goal is to provide high quality police services, while ensuring that the voice of our community is heard, and our citizens are safe.  

Highest Regards,

Tigard Police Officers’ Association

P.S. Donors who pledge $250 or more will receive a Toy K-9 and Lapel Pin. Donors who pledge $500 or more will receive a Custom Plaque, Toy K-9, and Lapel Pin.

David J. Morris, a former Marine infantry officer, has suffered with PTSD for years. In a fascinating first-hand account of his experience, which appears on The New York Times's website, he writes eloquently about his negative experiences with one VA's most popular treatments for PTSD, prolonged exposure therapy. After one month of treatment, Morris began to have problems.

If you have members suffering from PTSD following a traumatic incident, they might find this article interesting. You can also pass it along to the person in your agency, if there is one, who is involved with officer-wellness programs.

Morris has just written a book, The Evil Hours: A Biography of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, about his experiences trying to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder.Here are some excerpts from his Times piece that we found particularly interesting:

"There are two widely used treatments for PTSD at the V.A. One is called cognitive processing therapy. The other is prolonged exposure therapy, the effectiveness of which the V.A. heavily promotes. After explaining my symptoms to the intake coordinator, I was told that prolonged exposure was the best therapy for me. He said that the treatment worked for about 85 percent of people ("some pretty darn high odds if you ask me").

"The promise of prolonged exposure is that your response to your trauma can be unlearned by telling the story of it over and over again. The patient is asked to close his eyes, put himself back in the moment of maximum terror and recount the details of what happened. According to the theory, the more often the story is told in the safety of the therapy room, the more the memory of the event will be detoxified, stripped of its traumatic charge and transformed into something resembling a normal memory.

"The process sounded like all my dealings with the V.A.: Before you could find any relief, you had to traverse a little bit of hell.

"When I think back on that time, the word that comes to mind is 'nausea.' I felt sick inside, the blood hot in my veins. Never a good sleeper, I became an insomniac of the highest order. I couldn't read, let alone write. I laced up my sneakers and went for a run around my neighborhood, hoping for release in some roadwork; after a couple of blocks, my calves seized up. It was like my body was at war with itself. One day, my cellphone failed to dial out and I stabbed it repeatedly with a stainless steel knife until I bent the blade 90 degrees."

 

Read More.

Though there have been many scares about what can happen to children or teenagers on the internet, adults should be safe as well. There is no limit to the amount of risk adults come in contact with such as sexual predators, criminals who are seeking out your personal information on social networking sites, buying habits, frequently used sites, and many others.

Here are some tips to help prevent you from being a target:

• Do not share things such as email addresses, usernames and passwords.
• Do not use usernames or passwords that include your name, birthdate, important numbers, or where you live.
• Keep your location safe. Never share where you live or where you are with anyone. It is important to keep the locations of others safe as well.
• Do not share photos of you or your family members.
• Do not use numbers that are personally identifiable such as your driver’s license number, wedding date, VIN numbers, locker combination, social security number, or any other type of number that can help predators identify you.

These preventions can be applied to all aspects of web use for communicating online, socializing, sharing images, gaming, purchasing products, identity theft, fraud, and others.

For Kids:

• Never give out personal information such as where you live, your name, and your phone number when in a chat room.
• Never send a picture of yourself without a parent’s permission.
• Do not continue speaking with a person that has made you feel scared or uncomfortable. Tell a parent if this happens.
• Without your parent's permission, don’t meet someone or have them visit you.
• Do not trust anyone, they could be lying to you.
• To be safe, keep the computer in a room used often by family members.
• Speak out when you are being bullied. Telling an adult is not a sign of weakness. Tell a trusted adult if you are being bullied.

Simple Crime Prevention:

Anyone can be a target of even the simplest of crimes. Here are some tips to keep you safe in your everyday life:

-Always be aware of your surroundings and who is around you. Take time to observe what people are wearing and what they look like in case you have to describe it later to someone.
-Do not leave any items in your car that may be seen as valuable to someone else. Do not give thieves the opportunity. Put valuables in the trunk or cover them so they are not visible from the outside.
-Do not leave packages on your door step or allow mail to pile up at your door. It is a sign that you are not home or that you do not care for your mail.
-Leave a light on throughout the night inside or outside your house to tell burglars you’re at home.
-When attacked, strike back by hitting a vulnerable spot or create a distraction to flee quickly.
-Do not fight back for your possessions if the thief is armed.
-Be cautious of strangers who want to use your phone.
-Check the floor and backseat of your car before getting in.
-Be defensive when driving. Park in well lit areas and gather all of your items before getting out.
-When using public transportation, wait in well lit areas, stand near other people, and use a schedule that reduces your wait time. But above all, be aware of strangers.
-While at home, do not answer the door for anyone that puts you in an uncomfortable situation.
-Keep doors and windows locked, install deadbolts on exterior doors, and have a lock on your bedroom door.

These simple things can keep you a lot safer and promote others to be safe as well.