Workplace Violence: America's Public Safety Crisis

Workplace violence has reached staggering proportions throughout America and every community is a potential victim.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines workplace violence as “violence or the threat of violence against workers…that can occur at or outside the workplace and range from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and homicide…”

OSHA states that 2 million workers are victims of workplace violence each year. These include homicides, aggravated assaults, robberies, rapes and sexual assaults.

The health, safety and welfare of American workers deserves intensified security training, violence prevention and crisis management measures.

Recent Incidents
Although the crisis has taken place for many years, these are some recent tragedies:
• Jan. 26-a man opens fire at a swearing-in ceremony for new police officers during a city council meeting in New Hope, MN. Two officers are shot before police returned fire and killed the shooter. Although the officers are expected to survive, a report by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund for 2014 states firearms-related incidents as the leading cause of death among law enforcement. This accounted for 50 deaths, increasing 56 percent from 2013
• Jan. 25-a disgruntled Home Depot employee fatally shots his supervisor before committing suicide at a crowded New York City store
• Jan. 20-Dr. Michael J. Davidson, 44, the director of endovascular cardiac surgery, was shot inside Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. The married father of three children, dedicated to saving lives as a surgeon, died the following day in surgery

Infamous Tragedies
2014-a shocking beheading of a woman at an Oklahoma food distribution center and stabbing of another by a terminated employee. The suspect was killed by an off-duty deputy working on site.
2013-a lone gunman fatally shoots twelve people and injures three others at the Washington Navy Yard.
2009-an army psychologist kills thirteen and wounds twenty-nine at Fort Hood Military Base.
2006-a former postal worker kills her neighbor before going to the Goleta, CA post officer to kill six before committing suicide.
1999-over three days, a securities trader kills twelve in Atlanta, GA, including his wife and two children.
1989-a former employee returns to his Kentucky workplace killing nine and wounding twelve before committing suicide
1988-a toxic romantic infatuation escalates to the killing of 7 workers in Sunnydale, CA
1986-a postal employee shoots twenty, killing fourteen, in Edmond, Oklahoma, coining the term “going postal.”

Preventing Workplace Violence
In my workplace violence presentations and publications over the last 20 years, I have stressed:

• Training-continual programs for all employees including warning signs, mental health, de-escalation and conflict resolution techniques, diversity, domestic violence, reporting and intervention, target hardening, personal safety, company policies and law enforcement collaboration. The FBI’s National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime has an outstanding document titled “Workplace Violence Issues in Response” which must be an integral element of training.
• Threat prevention and Assessment Teams-ongoing training for all members including the coordinator, human resources, employee assistance, consulting psychologist, safety, health and security specialists, administration, facility managers and legal representatives
• Cultivating a Culture of Respect-a respectful culture where employees are recognized, appreciated and affirmed is essential to violence prevention. Even the slightest acts of disrespect must have measured and swift intervention. A workplace that cultivates respect, altruism and community creates an environment that increases morale, safety and security because people are genuinely cared for. Caring employees, not just policies and procedures, are essential for workplace violence prevention.
• Security Vulnerability Assessment-conducted periodically by a board certified professional covering physical (including notification systems), personnel, informational, procedural security and the workplace culture
• Drills-tabletop, partial and full scale exercise’s to simulate workplace violence scenarios

Final Reflection
All workplace violence initiatives demand support and participation at the highest levels of a company and collaboration with law enforcement.

These are turbulent times of violence throughout America but workplace violence is preventable. Each employee and law enforcement official must be dedicated to violence prevention principles and committed to the reawakening of the nation.

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As authored for Vincent’s weekly column titled “Reawakening the Nation” for the Epoch Times, 35 countries, 21 languages and growing.

An expanded version of this column was published in The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine, March, 2015 edtion.

Photos
1. FBI SWAT team making an arrest (Courtesy FBI)
2. Active Shooter Drill (Photo by TSgt Richard Kerner, NCNG Public Affairs, 145th Airlift Wing)
3. “Workplace Violence Issues in Response” guide cover, FBI Critical Incident Response Group, National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia (Courtesy FBI)

Commemorating the Auschwitz Liberation: Renewing American Patriotism

On As the world commemorates the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27, a reflection on a child who dramatically personifies the sacredness of all human life is in order.

Anne Frank stands as the most memorable child of World War II and one of the most enduring children of all of history. Anne is a testimony to the dignity of the human being and that virtue endures despite the darkest possibility of inhumanity.

The Diary of Anne Frank charts the two years of this young Jewish girl from 1942-1944 when she hid with her family and another family from the Nazis. The book has become one of the critical documents of the twentieth century and profoundly inspires diversity, the power of the pen and the triumph of good over evil. Anne's book is one of the world's most read literary treasures, selling over 25 million copies and being translated into 67 different languages.

As a German-Jewish teenager, Anne was forced into hiding to escape execution from the Nazis during the Holocaust. After 25 months of hiding with her family, she was betrayed to the Nazis and deported to the Bergen-Bergen concentration camp. She died at 15 years old of typhus in March of 1945 while in the concentration camp.

Despite the dark chaos of intolerance, hatred and ignorance during her time, Anne Frank continued to believe in the goodness of humanity. On July 15, 1944, Anne wrote:

"It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart. It’s utterly impossible for me to build my life on a foundation of chaos, suffering and death. I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness, I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too, I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will return once more."

Testimonial of a Holocaust Survivor
As a counterpoint to the evil that took place in Auschwitz, I am reminded of an event I took part in on March 28, 2007. The Anti-Defamation League celebrated a Solidarity Seder with law enforcement, government, community, faith-based, corporate, and citizen guests in Trenton, N.J. It was fittingly held at the Trenton War Memorial—a national historic site—built as “a great community center” dedicated to the memory of American soldiers and sailors who died fighting World War I.

Prior to the Seder, a representative of the Anti-Defamation League explained the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. Contradicting their hatred, he shared these treasured words of Emma Lazarus inscribed on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty:

Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door

Testimonials were then shared, including one from a young man who spoke about the heartbreak of seeing his mother arrested as they attempted to enter America from Mexico. This young man went on to proudly become an American citizen and applied to become a member of the United States Army. Another young man stated there are no complaints about immigration as American’s enjoy the fruits and vegetables harvested through the labor and sweat of immigrants working on farms.

The most moving testimonial was by Holocaust survivor Shelly Zeiger who spoke passionately about “the town’s fool.” This man, lovingly referred to as Anton by Zeiger, was ridiculed as a misfit by his townspeople in western Ukraine and considered a fool because of his obsessive respect for all life. Although a Catholic, Anton risked his own life to hide Jewish neighbors in his home. He hid Shelly, his father and mother, and two girls from the Nazis in the Zbrow ghetto for 27 months beginning in 1942. Shelly said, “Anton was truly a hero who teaches us to respect each human being, for courage can be found in the most unlikely of persons.”

After the war, Shelly and his family came to America. Years later, he mustered enough courage to go back to his hometown in the Ukraine to find Anton. He found him and brought him to live with him and his family in America, a country whose appreciation for diversity is the heartbeat of the nation and the world.

Liberation Monument, Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ
Surrounded by the historic significance of Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline, is the Liberation Monument. Designed by Sculptor Natan Rapaport, this inspirational statue depicts a World War II American Soldier carrying a survivor from the Auschwitz concentration camp. The image moves the soul to reflect on the values of compassion, character and community.

The legacy of America urges a rebirth of patriotism that will transform us once again into a nation destined to be a hope for the world through our commitment to moral leadership, persevering vigilance and dedicated collaboration.

America's Broken Families: Police Issues and Response

A police officer once shared his unforgettable anguish by asking me, “Where have all the parents gone?”

His concern was based on 24 years of virtually being a parent to abandoned youth because their parents were basically absent. The officer shared the following example of an incident he responded to:

•Three 9-year-olds swimming out to a buoy in a deep water channel with no visibility, no life jackets, and strong currents. Someone’s dog was swimming in the same water, wearing a life preserver while the children at peril in the deeper section were without life jackets. In the same river just two weeks earlier, a 7-year-old drowned while swimming alone.

Based on such scenarios, America will experience societal dysfunction caused by parents who lack connectedness to the lives of their very own children.

Broken Communities: Lessons From Nature

There is a documentary titled “Killer Elephants.” It depicts slaughtered carcasses of young bull rhinos on an African Wildlife Preserve.

The initial understanding was that poachers, interested in cashing in on the ivory tusks of the rhinos, were responsible. Yet, as carcasses were autopsied, the tusks remained intact and deaths were found to have been caused by catastrophic brutal force.

Although there was never a shortage of food, it was determined that the rhino deaths were caused by young bull “Killer Elephants” who had been displaced from their herds.

Being communal by nature, the young bull elephants developed an internal rage that they vented through the killing of the bull rhinos.

An American High School Comparison

There is a correlation between the “Killer Elephant” story and violence that took place at a New Orleans high school after Hurricane Katrina in 2006.

At the time, there were 25 security personnel protecting John McDonough High School in New Orleans due to an eruption of violence.

Many students lived on their own since their parents were displaced due to the hurricane. This was a time bomb for anger and a deficit of civility.

In the first six weeks of the school year, a teacher and security guard were brutally beaten by students and hospitalized. Many other students attacked security personnel, teachers, and a police officer. Over 20 students of the 775 faced expulsion and another 50 had been suspended. There were fights every day with some very serious assaults.

The Gang Mentality

A gang is understood as a group sharing a common connection and involved with criminal activities. Many individuals are proud of their “gang community” and are united by their scornful defiance of authority.

Becoming a gang member is often ritualistic and can involve being beat up or having to commit a crime. There is a hierarchy within the gang where individuals can work themselves to the top of the community.

The FBI National Gang Threat Assessment mentions the following:

• Jurisdictions are experiencing an increase in juvenile gangs and violence, in part, due to the increased incarceration rates of older members and the aggressive recruitment of juveniles in schools. Gangs have traditionally targeted youths because of their vulnerability and susceptibility to recruitment tactics, as well as their likelihood of avoiding harsh criminal sentencing and willingness to engage in violence.
• Juvenile gang members in some communities are hosting parties and organizing special events that develop into opportunities for recruiting, drugs, sexual exploitation, and criminal activity.
• Gangster Rap gangs, often composed of juveniles, are forming and are being used to launder drug money through seemingly legitimate businesses.

Community Policing

Responding to the American crisis of shattered communities, the concept of community policing and its proper incorporation into the culture of a police department and community is critical.

Community policing initiatives include practitioner certifications, citizen police academies, personal safety training, national night out, award recognition events, neighborhood block watches, school resource officers, street lighting enhancement initiatives, and collaborative corporate and school programs.

The hope of America is community and the heart of reawakening the nation from our crisis of broken families.

As published in Vincent's weekly "Reawakening the Nation" column for the Epoch Times, Friday, Jan. 23, 2015.

Photo's
1. Los Angeles Police Department officers detain a twenty-year old "Street Villains" gang member on April 29, 2012. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
2. (Photo Courtesy FBI)

Honoring the Dream: Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As the nation honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 19th, 2015, a testament to his greatness is that nearly every major city in America has a street or school named after him.

After his death in Memphis on April 4, 1968, the words of Martin Luther King Jr. still hold captivating influence and inspiring gracefulness:

On Equality (Birmingham jail, 1963)
"Before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, we were here. Before the pen of Jefferson etched across the pages of history the majestic words of the Declaration, we were here."

On Nonconformity (1963)
"The saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority."

On Civil Rights (Selma to Montgomery, 1965)
"We are moving to the land of freedom. Let us march to the realization of the American dream."

On Peace (1964)
"Sooner or later all the people of the world will have to discover a way to live together in peace and thereby transform this pending cosmic elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood."

On the Dream of Freedom (1964)
"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed...that all men are created equal."

On Freedom (1963)
"So let freedom ring. From the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire let freedom ring. From the mighty mountains of New York, let freedom ring. From the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania, let freedom ring. But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi..."

On the Future (April 3, 1968 – the night before his murder)
"I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. So I'm happy tonight, I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

Paris Terror, New Yorkers, and Vigilance

The horrific attack in Paris is a wake-up call, a chilling reminder that terror can happen anytime and anyplace, and can have devastating consequences.

There is evil in the world expressed through radical extremists. At this very moment the next terrorist plan may be underway. We must be vigilant as New York City is always a potential target.

The NYPD and every 1 of over 8 million people calling New York home must unite because the world can be a very dangerous place.

Yet, terror is not inevitable but instead preventable when there is unity, leadership, and vigilance.

NYPD Slowdown

The NYPD slowdown is hopefully over and will not return. The eyes of the world are on New York—even terrorists with unconscionable intentions carefully watch our every move.

These are times that demand unity between the NYPD and all of the people of this beloved city. There is no room for failure and the 9/11 tragedy must be forever remembered.

A complete dedication to protect and serve by the NYPD in collaboration with all people is mission critical. Each New Yorker shares the responsibility to exercise leadership, vigilance, and collaboration with the police.

The sworn oath to protect and serve must remain ignited in the hearts of our police officers. There is no time for petty politics, power plays, inflammatory rhetoric, or manipulative slanders by anyone, especially those in leadership roles. Each and every person must humbly examine his or her conscience and cultivate peaceful co-existence. The health, safety, and welfare of millions of people depend on unity as does the very morale of America.

It is time to protect the city of New York and to proudly represent the honorable ethical principles of the police profession.

NYPD Officers: Rise to the occasion, stand tall, exude character, accountability, and moral courage by serving the people you have sworn to protect. Honor your badge, your city, your noble profession, your country. Your sacrifices are admirable and your dedication appreciated.

Citizens: Be the eyes and ears of the city. Be united with 35,000 police officers and encourage them through respect, civility, and dignity. The responsibility of protecting life, property, and information is upon all of us.

Keep your eyes and ears wide open and do something as immediately as you see something.

Safeguarding New York City
For many years, I have conducted “Leadership Principles: Crisis Planning, Community Partnerships, Violence Prevention” keynotes to safeguard New York City.

Attendees included NYPD rank and file, FDNY and security directors, and property managers, as well as representatives from other law enforcement agencies, including the FBI.

Initiatives focused on safeguarding facilities and infrastructure including:

• museums, libraries, cultural properties
• The New York Stock Exchange and financial institutions
• hospitals
• commercial and residential properties
• colleges, schools, and universities

As with my crisis management events nationwide—complemented by extensive published works including this weekly column—these initiatives serve to encourage professionals and provide the tools needed to protect society.

The heart of my work is to inspire ethical protectors who cherish American values and are fully dedicated to safeguarding lives, property, and information. The practical tools include physical, personnel, and procedural security that has ethics, vigilance, and collaboration as its foundation.

The lessons learned by attendees at these initiatives have principles fit to serve New York during these challenging times. These lessons apply not only to preventing terrorism but any acts of violence and mitigating consequences of natural disasters.

Final Reflection

In the early days of 1776, a great American patriot named Thomas Paine published a short document titled “Common Sense.” This masterpiece profoundly influenced the political landscape and altered American history because it touched patriots seeking freedom, independence, and liberty.

Paine stirred the conscience of America and influenced the changing of the world because he inspired unity.

“Common Sense” must be reignited through enhanced collaboration of the NYPD, citizens, and elected officials. New Yorkers must be fully committed to protecting our sacred freedoms and democracy, only possible through civility, humility, and valor.

Each of us who loves this great city must never turn our backs on one another. We must cultivate respect, reconciliation, and renewal to safeguard our cherished way of life and through our unity inspire the reawakening of the nation.

Note Well
As originally published in Vincent's weekly column titled "Reawakening the Nation" for the Jan. 16, 2015 edition of the Epoch Times.

Photos
1. NYPD in Rockefeller Center, Oct. 10, 2014 (Vincent J. Bove)
2. Grand Central Terminal, Sept. 23, 2014 (Vincent J. Bove)
3. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Jan. 10, 2015 (Vincent J. Bove)

Police-People Unity: All Lives Matter

Police officers are the security lifeline in every American community.

As sworn officials dedicated to protect and serve, they must be ethical protectors.

America’s police officers must stand as guardians of democracy. This is crucial as we often witness a callous dereliction of human decency and unspeakable acts of violence.

Our nation depends on police officers taking the high ground. They must be fully committed to forging collaborative partnerships with their communities.

Every officer and community member must remember that being pro-police is indistinguishable from being pro-community. Both are one and the same and it is impossible to be pro-community without being pro-police.

We must live by the premise that all lives are sacred, all lives matter, and we are all in this together.

America’s Call to Renewal

As contemporary police-people issues continue, America must rise to a higher standard by enhancing community cohesiveness.

Public safety must never be jeopardized due to any misunderstandings between the police, people, and public officials.

Respect must always be the heart of the police officer and every member of the community with every encounter, from the most ordinary to the sublime.

Acts of contempt, arrogance, racism, corruption, rudeness, and disrespect always backfire. Respect never fails; respect radiates truth, it is selfless, patient, forbearing, and in due time penetrates hearts of stone.

Currently, there are challenges to the core American value of police-people unity based on tensions ignited in Ferguson and New York City.

We see indications of division between police, people, and public officials. These misunderstandings are toxic since all members of society must be unified, not polarized.

Each and every police officer must be a peacemaker fully dedicated to their profession and to positive community relations.

Each and every civilian must be law-abiding and fully dedicated to positive police relations.

We must live by the principle that each and every person deserves respect, courtesy, civility, and dignity. These virtues are the pillars of police-people cohesiveness.

Fallen Officers

The recent senseless deaths of NYPD Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu remind us that human life is sacred.

These two gallant officers were not only extraordinary guardians dedicated to community but devoted family members. This tragedy reminds us of the threats officers face protecting us. We must admire and appreciate police service and allow these ultimate sacrifices to ignite compassion, character, and community within our souls.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reminds us of the perils that police face with a staggering increase of violence:

Preliminary law enforcement fatalities from Jan. 1 through Dec. 30, 2014 are:

• 24 percent increase in total fatalities
• 56 percent increase in firearm-related fatalities
• 11 percent increase in traffic-related fatalities

Fallen Civilians

Deaths of civilians during 2014 are also alarming and we must never become de-sensitized to the violence taking place in America.

Headlines continually depict a carnage taking place throughout America. As a devotee of American history, I think of President Franklin D. Roosevelt stating after the Pearl Harbor attack, “December 7, 1941, a date that will live in infamy…”

If President Roosevelt were alive today, I think he would be talking about infamy once again as violence has entered into the very heart of America’s heart. Our schools, families, campuses, communities, and workplaces experience appalling violence with no end in sight.

Final Reflections

For 20 years I have advocated police-people unity through leadership, violence prevention, and crisis-planning initiatives in presentations throughout the nation and in many published works.

These efforts have been inspired by countless police officers generously dedicating time and talent to charitable causes and selflessly safeguarding their communities.

Extraordinary citizens who work side-by-side volunteering time with the police to improve community life have also been greatly inspiring.

America must rise to the occasion with full-force dedication to police-people unity. When we realize that all lives matter and each person is sacred—deserving respect, courtesy, and dignity—we will be on the road to reawakening the nation.

Note Well
As originally published in Vincent's weekly column titled "Reawakening the Nation" for the Friday, Jan. 9, 2015 edition of the Epoch Times.


Photo's
1.Times Square NYPD Police Station, Dec. 20, 2014 (Vincent J. Bove)
2.NYPD vehicles on East 12th Street, Dec. 5, 2014 (Vincent J. Bove)
3.NYPD Officer Rafael Ramos(left)and Officer Wenjian Liu --- “Fidelis ad Mortem”, the motto of the NYPD translated as “Faithful Unto Death.” (Photo Courtesy NYPD)
4.NYPD officers on post in Times Square, Dec. 10, 2014 (Vincent J. Bove)

NYPD, Inspire America: Courtesy, Respect, Community

The NYPD graduation ceremony this past Monday gives nearly 1,000 police recruits the call to be ethical protectors for New York City.

During controversial times, these new police officers must respond to societal diseases of violence and callousness.

New York City’s new officers, along with all their NYPD colleagues, can inspire the nation by exemplifying courtesy, respect, and community.

The order of the day and throughout their careers is to reflect character, ethics, and leadership as their moral compass.

America is Watching

The NYPD is under a microscope and the eyes of the nation are watching.

A full force renewal to effective policing principles (police–people collaboration) has been ignited by the Ferguson event and local issues in New York City including:
•The Eric Garner “chokehold” tragedy
•An accidental shooting death of a civilian by an NYPD officer in a public housing development
•The grand jury decision to not indict the officer involved with the Eric Garner incident and protests
•The tragic deaths of Officer Rafael Ramos and Officer Wenjian Liu

Police officers must respond to these challenges by polishing their shields with courtesy, professionalism, and respect, as enshrined on each NYPD vehicle.

These virtues—that have the power to transform society by building bridges were evident on Saturday, Dec. 27.

The funeral, attended by an estimated 25,000 was a sacrosanct event of the highest order. The sea of blue that silently and prayerfully honored their brother officer was an inspiration to the nation and the dignity of policing.

But a small group of about 200 officers brought disgrace upon themselves and their profession. By turning their backs on the mayor while he spoke, they flagrantly violated respect, the most basic principle of ethics. This was particularly contemptuous since expressed at the funeral of a slain brother officer and before his family.

Being laid to rest is a time for respect. It must never be an occasion for exploitation, contempt, and disrespect toward anyone. Police officers must take the high ground and de-escalate problems, not intensify them.

Those who honored the solemnity of the occasion dignified the honor of the NYPD and law enforcement and demonstrated true respect for the memory of Officer Ramos and his family. These officers refrained from attempting to politically exploit the sacredness of the funeral despite frustrations with the mayor.

The rift between the New York City mayor and the police department is no secret to anyone. But there is always a way to do the right thing and to disagree at the right time and place without being disagreeable. Meetings with the mayor and police unions this week are a positive step toward reconciliation.

The eyes of America are indeed upon the NYPD. A sincere effort for dialogue and ethical principles must be intensified by all parties. At the upcoming funeral of Officer Wenjian Liu on Sunday, Jan. 4, ethical behavior, not political grandstanding, must be the heartbeat of all attendees.

Officer Liu and his widow and family, traveling here from as far as China, deserve dignity, respect, and courtesy from every person attending his funeral. Officer Ramos and his family deserved the same. It is time to make things right.

Turbulent Police–People Reality

Protests throughout the nation in response to recent incidents in Ferguson and Staten Island are a wake-up call.

The response to this turbulence must be comprehensive and include the following:

•Collaborative Community policing initiatives
•Intensifying character education programs in all American schools
•Respect for the right to peaceably assemble for law-abiding citizens
•Effectively responding to deeper American issues of race relations, unemployment, education, poverty, broken families, and disparity between the rich and poor

Final Reflection

Policing is an honorable profession but the badge does not guarantee respect, it must be earned and maintained by ethical behavior.

Police–community relations is the heart of community life. America must rise to the occasion through authentic, respectful actions, never through dishonorable behavior that only builds walls of distrust and contempt.

Note Well
As originally published in Vincent's weekly column titled "Reawakening the Nation" in the Friday, Jan. 2, 2015 edition of the Epoch Times.

Photos

1. NYPD officers salute slain officer Rafael Ramos following the funeral in Queens, N.Y., on Dec. 27, 2014. (Dai Bing/The Epoch Times)

2. “Fidelis ad Mortem,” the motto of the NYPD translated as “Faithful Unto Death.” (Courtesy NYPD)

3. Officer Makiah Brown of the NYPD’s 78th Precinct prior to her rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” at the National Law Enforcement Associates event, with the author on Dec. 12, 2014. (Courtesy Vincent J. Bove Publishing)

4. NYPD on post at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral on Dec. 26, 2014. (Vincent J. Bove)