Sheriff Donnie Crum and Undersheriff Maurice Langston of the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office greeted a team of Lee County Sheriff’s Office officials Friday, May 4, 2012 along U.S. Highway 98 as they approached the Wakulla County line.

The meeting of law enforcement was a special welcome to Sergeant David Drum who was getting ready to finish an ambitious 390 mile long trek to raise awareness and funds for the families of fallen law enforcement officers.

On Wednesday, April 25, the Lee County team began the journey at the Lee Sheriff’s Office in Fort Myers.  Sgt. Drum and his support team concluded their journey in Tallahassee at the “Officer Down” Memorial at the Capitol in Tallahassee.

Sergeant David Drum decided to raise the money one step at a time, by walking, running and cycling 390 miles from the Lee County Sheriff's Office to the State Capitol Building in Tallahassee.  The pledges Sergeant Drum receives from the Walk for the Fallen will go directly to Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) an organization that helps the children and families of fallen officers through grief counseling, scholarship opportunities and much more.

The year 2011 saw an increase in violence toward law enforcement officers across the country with 177 officers killed in the line of duty.  At least 265 children were left behind by the violence, some too early to have a memory of their fallen parent.

“Everyone can step up and become heroes to these families by sponsoring and supporting this cause,” said Sgt. Drum.  He added that he trained for a year for the challenging trip from Lee County to Tallahassee.  His support team included Lee Sheriff’s Office deputies like, Deputy Dan Leffin, who served as his EMT unit when needed.

Wakulla County Sheriff Donnie Crum was shot in the line of duty in the early 1980s and understands what families have to go through when their loved ones work in law enforcement.

“It is so sad because of the collateral damage to the family,” said Sheriff Crum.  “The family goes through the pain and the suffering, too.  It adds stress to the family as they worry every day, especially the children.  For family of those who are killed, it is an instant life changer.  They are in the middle of a world where they don’t know where to go or what to do.  They haven’t planned for it.”

“When a law enforcement officer is injured in the line of duty the family can hang on to an arm,” said Undersheriff Maurice Langston.  “When a law enforcement officer is killed, all they have to hold onto is memories.”

The counties traversed by Sgt. Drum during the trip included:  Lee, Charlotte, Manatee, Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Levy, Gilchrist, Dixie, Taylor, Jefferson, Wakulla and Leon.

You can support C.O.P.S. and the families of the brave men and women who gave their lives by mailing a donation to:  Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc., P.O. Box 3199, Camdenton, MO 65020.  Please write "Walk for the Fallen" on the memo line.  For more information, you can go to www.Facebook.com/walkforthefallen.

You can also visit the Officer Down Memorial page on the Internet at www.odmp.org and learn more about the men and women who have given their lives in the law enforcement field.

Pictured:  Sheriff Crum, Undersheriff Langston, Wakulla Deputy Sean Wheeler and Keith Blackmar with the Lee County group.

Written by :

kblackmar

 

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