Bob Dent, left, is congratulated by Governor John Kitzhaber as
Rep. Ben Westlund watches as the "Fallen Officer's Bill" becomes law.
(Photo by Gary Lewin)
(Reprint from "The Law Enforcement Trainer," the official journal of the American Society of Law Enforcement Training)
Oregon
ASLET Member Gets Legislation Passed to Help Surviving Families
When a police officer
anywhere is killed in the line of duty, Bob Dent, ASLET member from Bend, Oregon
and recently retired Oregon State Police Senior Trooper, mourns along with his
fellow officers then does something about it.
In the last ten years Dent has written three books that promote officer
safety through verbal and non-verbal communications.
His small business donates part of the proceeds from the sales to an
associated non-profit foundation he created, the Constable Public Safety
Memorial Foundation, Inc. The funds help pay travel expenses for children and families
of officers killed in the line of duty to attend the National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial activities in Washington D.C. each year.
A number of surviving families from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and as far
away as Florida have been helped. Dent
is unsalaried as are his foundation board members including among others,
ASLET’s own Executive Board Member Dave Smith, Vincent Bugliosi (Author
of “Helter Skelter” and prosecutor of the Manson Family,) Mike Lynch, Pres.,
International Police Association (US Section), Alan Morris, Cmdr. (Ret.) Former
Director of Training, US Navy SEALS Training Center, Coronado, California.
What motivated Dent into
forming his foundation was a tragedy that took place in 1992…the fatal
shooting of his friend and colleague, a young Oregon State Police trooper named
Bret Clodfelter. It set in motion a
chain of events that motivated and changed Dent's life. Dent recalls that
Clodfelter died in his patrol car after being shot four times in the back of the
head by one of three men riding in the back seat. The young trooper was giving
the men a ride after arresting one of them for drunk driving. He still has trouble talking about the 1992 shooting at
Klamath Falls, Oregon, but what really haunts him is the death of Clodfelter's
wife, Rene', who took her own life one year after her husband died.
They had been married just
33 days when Bret was killed, Dent recalls, his voice trailing off.
It was these tragic deaths and many others like them that galvanized his
commitment and compelled him to dedicating his private life to helping the
families left behind to endure…but Dent was not finished.
He
started a seven-year odyssey that ended a year ago with the passage of
legislation he co-authored with Oregon State Rep. Ben Westlund-R. that makes
convicted criminals and others that put officers at risk, fund the law with no
cost to the law abiding taxpayer. The
“Fallen Officer’s Bill” was signed into law by Governor John Kitzhaber
after being passed unanimously in both the House and Senate.
As spouses of slain police officers watched over his shoulder, Gov. John
Kitzhaber signed into law a program to assist families of public safety officers
killed and catastrophically injured in the line of duty.
The law encompasses police officers, fire service professionals, as well
as correctional, parole/probation and youth authority personnel. The Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training
administers the law.
Dent’s philanthropic
efforts have brought national awards, television and radio appearances, articles
by national and international magazines with commendations from former President
George Bush and Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber to name a few.
Most recently, the
Oregon Public Safety Memorial Fund Board appointed him to the Executive Board as
an Ex-Officio member.
When asked what keeps him
motivated to pursue his endeavors Dent candidly said, "I cannot forget the looks, the tears on the faces of
all the innocent young women with children, grieving a lost husband and father
suddenly taken, older couples who have unfortunately outlived their beloved son
or daughter, brothers, sisters... or the troop who witnessed a partner fall.
And it saddens me greatly. I've
just been to too many funerals. I hope that this small foundation can ease the
pain and suffering just a little. Nothing
equals the smiles and hugs from the family and fellow officers you help.
No honor or pat on the back can replace the twinkle in the eye or the
smile on the face when you know you've touched someone’s heart...it’s just
the right thing to do," Dent said.
Author’s
note:
The law in part imposes a
$1 dollar assessment for conviction of ALL Felonies,
Misdemeanors, and traffic violations and provides the following benefits.
$25,000 cash benefit to beneficiary within 14 days of death of officer (to help
with immediate living and funeral expenses).
Full paid health and dental insurance for spouse and children
12 monthly mortgage payments
4 year paid tuition to any college or university in the US for spouse and
children.
The law is raising approx., $35,000 per month and as of this writing has distributed over 1/2 million dollars to the surviving families.
(Above article reprinted courtesy Frank Hackett, Executive Director, A.S.L.E.T.
Creates Public Safety Memorial Fund. Imposes $1 dollar assessment for conviction of all Felonies , Misdemeanors, violations or infractions (excluding parking violations). Establishes that fund be used for benefit of families of public safety officers who are killed in line of duty or while interceding in crime or who have job-related permanent total disability. (Note: Offender's driver's license would be suspended until assessment is paid).
Creates Public Safety Memorial Fund under
the direction of the the Department of Public Safety Standards
and Training for benefit of families of public safety officers
who are killed in the line of duty (on or off) or who have job-related
total, permanent, catastrophic disability as per ORS 656.206.
The board will be comprised of 6 members appointed by the Governor
from the membership of the DPSST. The members shall represent
police officers, fire service personnel, corrections, parole/probation,
youth authority officers and the public interest at large (and
will meet at least every 3 months.) $60,000 is allocated to DPSST
to administer the program.
$1.00 unitary assessment on conviction for commission of any crime,
violation, infraction (excluding parking violations). Money to
be placed in Public Safety Memorial Fund. (It is anticipated the
fund will raise approx., $560,000 per biennium.)
Family member means: Spouse of officer; child of officer; a person
who qualifies as a dependent for state income tax purposes. (Next
session I will ask that law be changed to pay $25,000 benefit
to parent or sibling of officer killed where officer is single.)
Public Safety Officers means: Police Officers and Reserves; Correctional
Officers; Fire Service Professionals and volunteer firefighters
as defined in ORS 652.050; Parole and Probation Officers; and
Youth Correctional Officers.
Board to send $25,000 cash benefit to beneficiary within 14 days
of death of officer ( to help with immediate living and funeral
expenses). At the time an officer is hired or a volunteer used,
the agency shall provide the officer with a designation of beneficiary
form. Upon completion the agency must forward the form to the
Memorial Fund Board. Note: The agency must notify the Memorial
Fund Board within 3 days of a death of an officer. (Family has
6 months to make application for benefits.)
Board shall award benefits to spouse and each child amount to
cover health and dental insurance. For five years to spouse or
until remarriage whichever occurs first; and until the child reaches
18 of if in school, 23 years of age.
Spouse to receive 12 monthly mortgage payments if no insurance
exists for loan payoff. (This amount will help until any insurance
money arrives).
4 year paid tuition to any college or university in the US (undergraduate
study only) for spouse and children. In determining the amount
of scholarship, the board shall consider the applicant's financial
need, the funds available in the memorial account and the anticipated
demands on the account (If several officers are killed then the
amount will be prorated by the board.)
Applications can be obtained from DPSST. Subject to the availability
of funds the board may award benefits to family members of officers
killed or catastrophically injured after January 1, 1997, but
prior to the effective date of this 1999 Act. All benefits are
exempt from state income taxes. (The board will be able to accept
gifts, grants and donations from public and private sources.)
Click
here to read "The Public Safety Memorial Fund Bill
Click here to read "Testimony of Robert Dent in front of House Judiciary Committee"
Oregon Public Safety Memorial Fund Homepage (FAQ's) for Fallen Public Safety Officers
At my request, Rep. Westlund has attached
"Legislative Notes" with the bill that the Public Safety
Memorial Board at DPSST meet with me, Rep. Westlund and several
of the spouses (and/or family members of fallen officers) at their
first meeting. It is our goal to impart to the board the reality
of the needs of these families after sudden tragedy strikes. Hopefully
we will be able to offer some policies and procedures to be followed
when a death or catastrophe occurs that will foster prolonged
contact with the families. It is our hope that we can prevent
the feeling of hopelessness that Rene Clodfelter felt before she
took her own life.
I wish I could send all of you that wrote letters and sent e-mails
a personal message of thanks and appreciation. Unfortunately,
I do not have the extra time or secretarial assistance to make
that possible... please forgive me. I do, however, want to thank
each and every one of you for your help in making phone calls,
sending e-mails and helping with the testimony to the legislature.
I would like to recognize all of you by name for your contribution
but am quite afraid I would leave someone out. Each of you know
who you are and what part you played.... you share in making this
bill a reality. For that, I will always remember your friendship,
kindness and support.
My small foundation will continue to solicit funds to help pay
travel expenses to the National Grieving Seminars in Washington
D.C. for spouses and children of officers killed in the line of
duty. To those of you who have supported me in that effort...
thank you for your generosity. Next year we are going to send
a widow of an officer killed in 1979 who has never seen her husband's
name on the wall or attended the National Law Enforcement Officer
Memorial Services.
Again, I sincerely thank each and every one of you for your support
in this worthy endeavor.
Robert Dent
MEMBERS OF THE OREGON HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Alphabetical
Listing with E-mail addresses and phone numbers
MEMBERS OF THE OREGON SENATE -
Alphabetical Listing of E-mail address and phone numbers
THE OREGON LEGISLATURE HOMEPAGE
To return to Bob Dent's "Constable Public Safety Memorial Foundation" go to www.survival-spanish.com/foundation.htm (or) CLICK HERE