The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge recently took its Disaster Response Unit and a contingent of its members to provide relief for law enforcement officers in Louisville, Kentucky who have been working four straight months trying to help keep the peace during the ongoing protests within that city.
“We have served the Louisville officers meals, refreshments, and most of all, the camaraderie of shared life experiences that only law enforcement officers can appreciate and understand,” said FOP State Lodge President Chris Southwood. “This was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in my 32 years with the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police.”
Illinois FOP members served more than 3,000 meals on-site to Kentucky law enforcement members between September 27 and 29 through the organization’s Disaster Response Unit. The unit is a converted RV that has been used since its inception several years ago as a way to support fellow officers and departments that experience loss or trauma due to natural disasters, tragedies, or other events that can severely impact officers’ emotional, physical, and financial well-being.
“It was our humble pleasure to serve Kentucky’s finest while they serve and protect their fellow citizens,” Southwood said. “Giving officers that brief respite helps them to continue their difficult and demanding work in a very emotionally charged atmosphere.”
The Fraternal Order of Police was founded in 1915 and is the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. With a proud tradition of officers representing officers, the FOP is the most respected and most recognized police organization in the country. The Illinois FOP, chartered in 1963, is the second-largest State Lodge, proudly representing more than 34,000 active duty and retired police officers – more than 10 percent of all FOP members nationwide. Visit us now. Click here