McLean, VA (December 30, 2025) - Frank “Jelly” Nash was a convicted murderer and one of the most notorious bank robbers of the 1920s. While serving a 25-year prison sentence, he managed to escape from the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth. He remained a fugitive for nearly three years until he was finally captured in Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1933. A few days later he was on his way back to Leavenworth. Seven law enforcement officers were with Nash at Kansas City’s Union Station, after his train ride from Arkansas, and were preparing to drive him back to Leavenworth. That’s when three hardened gangsters, including Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd, launched a brutal submachine gun attack in a poorly planned breakout attempt. In a matter of seconds, hundreds of rounds were fired by the gangsters. The law enforcement officers never even had a chance to return fire. When the shooting was over, FBI Special Agent R.J. Caffrey, Kansas City (MO) Police Officer W.J. Grooms and Detective Frank Hermanson were dead, along with McAlester (OK) Police Chief Otto Reed. Three other FBI agents, Frank Smith, R.J. “Red” Lackey and Special Agent in Charge Reed Vetterli survived the attack. Also killed in the attack was the man the gangsters were trying to free, Frank Nash. More than 90 years later, the “Kansas City Massacre” still ranks as one of the most brazen and deadliest attacks on law enforcement in American history. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

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McLean, VA (December 23, 2025) - On February 25, 1987, while guarding a prisoner at a hospital, Miami County (OH) Sgt. Robert L. “Bobby” Elliott was shot and killed. The prisoner escaped but was soon tracked down and died by suicide during a shootout with police. Everyone who worked with Bobby remembers the same thing—his “heart of gold,” as one colleague said. A nurse remembers the night before he was killed and how he spoke gently to the prisoner who would soon murder him—explaining that he was still loved by God and redemption was possible. And his beloved wife, Tammie, shared memories of their last time together—their son, Nate convincing him to run the lights and siren and daughter, Rhea, wrapping him around her finger with one look. Memorials have been built in his honor, but his greatest tribute comes from his son, Nate, who is now a captain with the Fostoria (OH) Police Department—following in his father’s footsteps and carrying on his legacy of service to others. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

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McLean, VA (December 16, 2025) - Around 4 a.m. on December 14, 1951, Detroit Police Officer Stanley J. Jerlecki and his partner responded to a burglary at a jewelry store. As he pursued one of the suspects, gunfire erupted. Officer Jerlecki was struck, but in his final moments he returned fire, fatally wounding the adult suspect. The second suspect — a juvenile — was captured and later convicted of burglary. The adult gunman should have been in jail at the time of the murder. Just a couple of weeks earlier, he had robbed a liquor store at gunpoint, but a judge let him out on bail. He left behind his wife, Mary Jane, a four-year-old son, Stan, and a three-year-old daughter, Dolly. His death inspired the start of the first 100 Club in the U.S.—dedicated to providing financial and other assistance to survivors of the fallen. His death also reminds us of how far we’ve come over the years in honoring officers who die in the line of duty and taking care of their families. We now have National Police Week, Peace Officers Memorial Day, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, and the National Law Enforcement Museum. We have Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program (PSOB), and 100 Clubs across the country. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

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McLean, VA (December 9, 2025) - On January 8, 2002, a woman called the Beaufort County, South Carolina, Sheriff’s Office to say that her friend was being held by a man against her will and “needed help.” Lance Corporal Dana L. Tate Sr. and Corporal Dyke “A.J.” Coursen raced to the scene. When Deputies Tate and Coursen arrived, the man hid in a bedroom closet with a high-powered SKS assault rifle. As they searched the bedroom, the two deputies were shot multiple times. Both died at the scene. Corporal Tate managed to wound the gunman before succumbing to his injuries. The cop killer, a convicted felon out on parole, briefly escaped, but was soon found and ultimately sentenced to death for the two murders. He remains on death row. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office has said their deaths remain “a vivid reminder of the dangers of our profession. We will always remember and be inspired by the example they have given us. Their spirit remains, like a handprint on our hearts.” Listen to the podcast to learn more.

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McLean, VA (December 2, 2025) - On September 25, 1992, Minneapolis Police Officer Jerome “Jerry” Haaf Sr., 53, was near the end of his shift when he stopped by a favorite cop hangout to have a cup of coffee and finish some paperwork. As he sat at the table, two gang members entered from behind. They were members of the Vice Lords street gang. Without warning, they opened fire, shooting Jerry twice in the back. Jerry was rushed to the hospital, but his wounds were too severe and he died. Four men were convicted for their roles in the murder. The shooter was sentenced to life in prison; three of his accomplices received 30-year sentences. It turned out that the assassins didn’t even know Officer Haaf. The motive was chillingly simple: Jerry was killed because of the uniform he wore. The Vice Lords wanted to send a message of hate to law enforcement. Officer Haaf, who had served the city of Minneapolis for 30 years, was just months away from retirement. He was survived by his wife, Marilyn, a daughter and two sons. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

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McLean, VA (November 25, 2025) - On the afternoon of November 1, 1950, two Puerto Rican nationalists seeking independence for their island from U.S. control, launched an attack on Blair House where President Truman was living while the White House was under renovation. Their goal was to either kidnap or assassinate the President to draw international attention to their cause. Standing guard was Private Leslie Coffelt, a 40-year-old officer of the White House Police (later renamed the Uniformed Division of the U.S. Secret Service). As the attackers opened fire, Private Coffelt was struck three times and mortally wounded. Yet in those final moments, he summoned the strength to return fire. With a single, precise shot to the head from 31 feet away, he killed one of the assailants, ending the assault and protecting the President. Two other members of the White House Police, Donald Birdzell and Joseph Downs, were also wounded in the incident, but both survived. Later, when honoring Private Coffelt with a plaque at Blair House, President Truman called him “one of the most pleasant officers on the force—and one of the ablest.” Listen to the podcast to learn more.

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McLean, VA (November 18, 2025) - On July 24, 1998, a mentally deranged man drove from Montana to Washington, D.C. with death and destruction on his mind. He was carrying a .38 caliber revolver and thoughts clouded by delusion. At 3:40 p.m., he set off the metal detector at the Document Door on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol. When Capitol Police Officer Jacob “J.J.” Chestnut asked him to step back through, the crazed killer pulled his gun and shot the 58-year-old officer point-blank in the back of the head. The man then ran deeper into the Capitol. Det. John Gibson heard the gunfire. He was protecting the office of then-House Majority Whip Tom DeLay. He told staffers to hide under their desks. When the man burst through the office door, Det. Gibson confronted him. He was shot in the chest and mortally wounded, but he was able to return fire, striking the man multiple times and stopping the attack. A nation mourned for their heroic sacrifice, and Officer Chestnut and Det. Gibson became the first police officers to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol rotunda. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

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McLean, VA (November 11, 2025) - On July 17, 1975, two Florham Park, New Jersey, police officers—Patrolman Robert Hauptman and Det. Francis “Frank” Dailey Jr.—were killed in an airplane crash while returning from a reconnaissance flight searching for a marijuana crop. They were close to landing when their airplane stalled and then clipped a tree. They crashed to the ground and both officers were killed—50 years ago. In 1997, more than two decades later, a young Florham Park police sergeant named Patrick Montuore was concerned that too many people had forgotten about these two fallen heroes. Pat was determined to revive their memories, along with the memories of thousands of other officers who had died in the line of duty. He envisioned a powerful tribute: a 300-mile bicycle ride from Florham Park to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. He called it the Police Unity Tour. On that first ride in 1997, only 18 riders participated and they raised $18,000. The ride has grown every year since. This year, nearly 2,500 members participated and they donated $2.2 million to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Their total donations since 1997 have now surpassed more than $40 million. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

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McLean, VA (November 4, 2025) - On February 24, 1983, Albuquerque Police Officer Gerald “Jerry” Cline responded to a call at a low-rent motel. A man was threatening others with a rifle. Soon after he arrived on the scene, Officer Cline was ambushed and killed by a single rifle shot fired at point-blank range. His killer was soon arrested and sentenced to death—a sentence that was commuted to life imprisonment by an out-going governor. Jerry was a husband and father of three children. Jerry’s wife, Yolanda, transformed her grief into a force for healing. She became the national president of C.O.P.S. (the Concerns of Police Survivors) and helped thousands of families navigate the pain of losing a loved one in the line of duty. Yolanda once told a story about Jerry. He’d been in an officer-involved shooting a decade before he was murdered. Jerry suffered post-traumatic stress. He called the hospital every day to check on the condition of the man he shot. The story exemplified how tough the job can be, but more importantly it showed just how much officers care—even for those who would do them harm. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

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McLean, VA (October 28, 2025) - On August 14, 1958, San Francisco lost one of its own. Police Officer Barry Ronald Rosekind, just 30 years old, was killed in the line of duty while pursuing a speeding vehicle on his police motorcycle. His watch ended, but his legacy had only begun. Barry left behind his wife, Marilyn, and two young sons, Mark and Gary. Marilyn was one of the founders and longtime president of the Bay Area Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (BALEAF), an organization dedicated to support the families of fallen officers. Mark was only 3 years old when his father died, but the loss he suffered would become his inspiration. Decades later, Mark rose to become the Administrator of NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), our nation’s leader in promoting safety on our roadways. During his tenure, Mark made officer traffic safety a top priority. But his focus expanded much further, doing everything he could to make sure fewer families would endure the loss of a loved one on our nation’s roadways. His leadership was described as aggressive and unrelenting. And there was good reason. Every initiative, every regulation, every public statement carried the echo of his father’s sacrifice. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

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