BADGE 149 NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2019
Captain Gary P. Jones [retired]
FORT LAUDERDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT
1967 - 1993

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE,
DIVISION OF INSURANCE FRAUD
1993 - 2003

Author of:
Badge 149 - "Shots Fired!"
and
"Saints, Sinners, Survivors"






I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND A SAFE NEW YEAR'S EVE



REMEMBERING

OFFICER BRYANT PENEY
Fort Lauderdale Police Department

E.O.W. January 6, 1996
My book "Saints, Sinners, Survivors" is dedicated to FLPD Officer Bryant Peney. His picture is also on the book's cover. In the book I wrote, "His parents had lost a loving son, Todd Peney had lost a devoted brother, Fort Lauderdale P.D. had lost an outstanding officer and the world had lost a good and decent human being."

I can honestly say that not a day goes by that I don't think of Bryant, and the ultimate sacrifice he made. The wallpaper background for my computer screen is a picture of Bryant's FLPD marked unit (below), from that tragic night 23 years ago.

Bryant, we will never forget you!

Creative business concept group of color speech balloons with questions isolated on white background
"GUN-FREE ZONES"
AND ACTIVE SHOOTERS

Okay, I admit it! I am a frequent visitor to the Fox News channel and one of my favorite commentors is Judge Andrew Napolitano . Yes, Ju dge Napolitano can sometimes be a bit controversial. But, he is an intelligent individual and he also often provides valuable insight regarding important events and issues taking place. He recently posted an opinion about "Gun-Free Zones" and active shooters. And he provided some very interesting observations regarding the terrorist attack inside the Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando.

This mass shooting occurred back on June 12, 2016 . The lone male culprit killed 49 people and wounded 53 others. It was "Latin Night" at the club so most of the victims were Hispanic. It is the deadliest act of violence against LGBT people in U.S. history. W hat follows is Judge Napolitano's insightful analysis of what happened that fateful night.

"In the Orlando tragedy, for example, the man who killed 49 and wounded 53 used a handgun and a rifle. The handgun accepted magazines containing 17 bullets, and the rifle accepted magazines containing 30 bullets. The killer, using both weapons, fired more than 250 times that Sunday morning. That means he reloaded his weapons about a dozen times. Each time he reloaded, he stopped shooting, as it is impossible for any person to shoot and reload simultaneously."

The judge went on to say, "We know from forensics that the killer was a poor shot. We can deduce from that knowledge that he was a slow reloader. One learns to shoot first and reload later. It is likely that it took between three and seven seconds each time he reloaded the handgun and longer with the rifle. In those time periods, any trained person carrying a handgun in that Orlando nightclub could have wounded or killed him — and stopped the slaughter."

I found the entire article interesting and informative, but the one bold statement by Judge Napolitano that made the biggest impression on me, was this one: " The modern-day massacres are proof beyond a doubt that the government cannot protect us."

Judge Napolitano rightly states that many of these recent active shooter events have occurred in what we now call "Gun-Free Zones."

Judge Napolitano also pointed out that, "A ll these mass killings have the same ending: The killer stops only when he is killed. But that requires someone else with a gun to be there. Shouldn’t that be sooner rather than later?"

Judge Napolitano's opinion about these "Gun-Free Zones" is also bold, and probably controversial too. " They should be called killing zones," Judge Napolitano declared.

I have to agree.


In 2018 Twenty-Seven (27) K-9 Dogs Died In The Line Of Duty

Many of you already know about the Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP) and the fine work they do in remembering and honoring our law enforcement professionals who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Founded in 1996, ODMP is a non-profit organization. ODMP has now expanded its efforts to include our K-9 partners who have also died in the line of duty.

Here are the twenty-seven (27) K-9 dogs that died in 2018, that ODMP currently lists on their web site:

Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (Florida)
Breed: German Shepherd
E.O.W.: Monday, December 24, 2018
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Tulare Police Department (California)
Breed: Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd mix
E.O.W.: Sunday, December 9, 2018
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Sutter County Sheriff's Office (California)
Breed: Belgian Malinois
E.O.W.: Thursday, November 15, 2018
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Accidental)

St. Clair Shores Police Department (Michigan)
Breed: German Shepherd
E.O.W.: Sunday, November 4, 2018
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Waco Police Department (Texas)
Breed: Belgian Malinois
E.O.W.: Friday, October 5, 2018
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Accidental)

Genesee County Sheriff's Office (Michigan)
Breed: German Shepherd
E.O.W.: Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Cause of Death: Training accident

Boston Police Department (Massachusetts)
Breed: German Shepherd
E.O.W.: Monday, October 1, 2018
Cause of Death: Duty related illness

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (Florida)
Breed: German Shepherd
E.O.W.: Sunday, September 30, 2018
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Riverhead Police Department (New York)
Breed: German Shepherd
E.O.W.: Sunday, September 2, 2018
Cause of Death: Automobile crash

Refugio County Sheriff's Office (Texas)
Breed: Bluetick Coonhound mix
E.O.W.: Saturday, September 1, 2018
Cause of Death: Assault

Columbus Division of Police (Ohio)
Breed: Belgian Malinois
E.O.W.: Saturday, September 1, 2018
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Accidental)

Refugio County Sheriff's Office (Texas)
Breed: Bluetick Coonhound mix
E.O.W.: Saturday, September 1, 2018
Cause of Death: Assault

Nowata Police Department (Oklahoma)
Breed: Labrador Retriever
E.O.W.: Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Cause of Death: Struck by vehicle

Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office (Louisana)
Breed: Belgian Malinois
E.O.W.: Friday, August 17, 2018
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Virginia State Police (Virginia)
Breed: Belgian Malinois
E.O.W.: Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Arkansas State Police (Arkansas)
Breed: Dutch Shepherd
E.O.W.: Monday, July 30, 2018
Cause of Death: Gunfire

Hancock County Sheriff's Office (West Virginia)
Breed: Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd mix
E.O.W.: Monday, July 30, 2018
Cause of Death: Heat exhaustion

Columbia Police Department (South Carolina)
Breed: Labrador Retriever
E.O.W.: Saturday, July 28, 2018
Cause of Death: Heat exhaustion

Hendricks County Sheriff's Office (Indiana)
Breed: Belgian Malinois
E.O.W.: Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Cause of Death: Duty related illness

Conewango Township Police Department (Pa)
Breed: German Shepherd
E.O.W.: Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Cause of Death: Fall

Stephens County Sheriff's Office (Oklahoma)
Breed: German Shepherd
E.O.W.: Sunday, May 20, 2018
Cause of Death: Drowned

Phoenix Police Department (Arizona)
Breed: Belgian Malinois
E.O.W.: Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Cause of Death: Unidentified

Davis County Sheriff's Department (Iowa)
Breed: Belgian Malinois
E.O.W.: Sunday, March 11, 2018
Cause of Death: Struck by vehicle

Houston Police Department (Texas)
Breed: Belgian Malinois
E.O.W.: Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Cause of Death: Accidental

North Charleston Police Department (South Carolina)
Breed: Belgian Malinois
E.O.W.: Thursday, February 15, 2018
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault

Jefferson County Sheriff's Office (New York)
Breed: German Shepherd
E.O.W.: Thursday, January 18, 2018
Cause of Death: Asphyxiation

St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office (Maryland)
Breed: German Shepherd
E.O.W.: Thursday, January 18, 2018
Cause of Death: Training accident

If you want to learn more about one of these K-9 dogs you can go to the home page for the Officer Down Memorial Page (www.odmp.org). There you will see a heading " Recently Fallen K9S " and at the right you'll see " All 2019 K9 Deaths ." Click on this and it will take you to a "Search" page. Change the years 2019 to 2018 and you'll then see a list of all twenty-seven (27) K-9 dogs that died in the line of duty in 2018. It sounds a little complicated, but it's really not. If I can figure it out, then anyone can.

I n addition to the basic information, which I've posted here in my newsletter, the ODMP provides a brief summary about how each K-9 died.

(Click here to go to ODMP)


For Third Straight Year,
Police Suicides Outnumber
Line-Of-Duty Deaths

It is a fact that suicides involving retired military personnel, and law enforcement professionals, occur at a much higher rate than that of the general population.
2nd book
In my book I discuss suicide and the law enforcement profession.
2nd book

In my book I also described my volunteer work with my local 2-1-1 crisis hotline, which also handled the Suicide Prevention Lifeline calls for the Tallahassee area. If you would like to help and make a difference you might want to volunteer with your local 2-1-1.

QUOTES WORTH REMEMBERING
2019 Happy New years with notebook My New Year Goals text and wooden number on table and copy space. New Start_ Resolution_ Goals and Mission Concept
I have two major goals for 2019. I want to improve the overall quality of this Newsletter, plus I'd also like to increase the number of people who receive AND read it. If you have any suggestions, and/or maybe even some constructive criticism, I would like to hear from you. And, if you know of someone who you think might like to receive this Newsletter, just give me their e-mail and I'll add them to my list of recipients.
My e-mail is: Jones313@aol.com

 If you have already purchased one of my two books, thank you! If you enjoyed the book(s) I would ask you to consider writing a short review of the book, either on Amazon or at my publisher's online bookstore. My publisher's online bookstore is at:
www.buybooksontheweb.com
(You can also just click on the "Book Review" Logo above)

Go to the "True Crime" section to read the book reviews already there, or to make a new one.


A link has been added to my web site so you can go back and read all of my Newsletters that I have sent out.



REMEMBERING
Ron Ray
1940 - 2018



This is a picture of Mike Gillo and I having lunch with Ron, several years ago.

Ron Ray was an outstanding officer with FLPD. He was dedicated, conscientious and extremely loyal. After he left FLPD he flew helicopters full time and many of us still remember how he choppered Santa Claus to our annual Christmas parties at the PBA Hall. The kids, mine included, were thrilled.

While with FLPD he was an original member of the Tactical Impact Unit (T.I.U.). My first book ( Badge 149 - "Shots Fired!" ) describes T.I.U. and many of the exciting escapades we were a part of. Ron Ray was a valuable member of T.I.U. and I wrote about him too.

Below is a picture of five of Ron's grandsons, and each has a new copy of my first book. Ron's wife, Darlene, gave each grandson a copy as a Christmas present. She wanted them to read about and know what kind of a man their grandfather was.

Thank you, Darlene. Ron would have been very proud.
JANUARY 11th
Book signing in Michigan
thankyou_charity_box_hdr.jpg
Gary P. Jones, Captain [retired] | Jones313@aol.com | www.badge149.com