An Important Show of Support
Major County Sheriffs' Association votes to support Below 100
The Major County Sheriffs' Association (MCSA) voted unanimously to support the Below 100 initiative during their winter conference in Washington, D.C. The MCSA is comprised of sheriffs from counties with populations exceeding 500,000 in population and has member agencies in more than 30 states.
Board member Sheriff Dave Mahoney, of Dane County, Wis., presented an overview of Below 100. Sheriff Mahoney has indicated that all his deputies will be receiving the training. After the presentation and vote of support, sheriffs from 21 agencies volunteered to get involved with Below 100.
For more information on Below 100, visit www.Below100.com.
Because We Can!
Project Active Armor encourages all LEOs to wear their armor—by providing Herculean examples
Project Active Armor is an expansion and continuation of Project Rolling Armor, a joint effort of Law Enforcement United (LEU) and Law Officer that started during Police Week 2013 to demonstrate support for Below 100, specifically the tenet to "Wear your vest."
Last year, Officer Wallace Chadwick, the president of LEU, took up a challenge from Law Officer Editor-in-Chief Dale Stockton to wear body armor during LEU's annual Road to Hope bike ride. The Road to Hope is a 250-mile, 2½-day bicycle journey to honor the fallen and raise funds for the Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) and the Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP.org). Chadwick was riding with 400 other law enforcement officers from across the nation and by wearing his vest during the entire ride he effectively demonstrated that you can do anything in today's body armor.
After Chadwick's impressive ride, other officers decided to take up the mantle of wearing armor during extreme physical events and Project Active Armor was born. To date Project Active Armor participants have completed several runs, a marathon, triathlons (including the swim!) and even CrossFit events in extreme weather. During the COPS walk in Virginia, three participants wore their vests for the entire 25-mile walk.
LEU will have several members wearing vests on this year's four planned rides, all heading to the nation's capital to kick off Police Week 2014. Perhaps the most impressive effort will be made by Prince William County, VA., Police Lieutenant Jared Phelps, who will wear his vest from Boston to Washington, D.C., on his bike—a journey of several hundred miles!
LEU President Chadwick believes the group's efforts are encouraging others to wear their armor and demonstrating there is absolutely no reason for officers not to wear their safety equipment.
"As an Active Armor participant, there is no reason an officer can give me to not wear their vest while working," Chadwick says. "We have completed marathons, triathlons, cross fit events in snow, ice, extreme heat and every challenge you can imagine. If we can do it, you can. No excuses!"
If you have questions or comments, send them to ProjectActiveArmor@ Yahoo.com.
