PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE


Since being installed as your president in August I fully expected to roll up my sleeves and be prepared to address any challenge facing the Association. Little did I know just 2 months later the State of Florida and beyond would soon have to respond to the call for help.


As Michael moved north and away from the Florida Panhandle, his fury and swirling rage left behind a swath of devastation that measured beyond comprehension. Entire communities, economies, memories, histories, and livelihoods were obliterated in a mere matter of hours. Lives were lost. The image of hundreds of square miles of trees shattered and felled was seared into the collective memories of Floridians for genera- tions to come. The portrait of residents walking in shock through the wreckage of their former neighborhoods paints a picture in indelible ink, etched into the landscape of our journey together. We were hit. We were hit hard.


All of this has spoken to us as law enforcement officers because we are the helpers. We are the ones who are expected to step forward in the chaos and bring hope and stability. We tell victims that things will be alright and that we will get them on the path to recovery. But what happens when a massive strike of this kind not only de-


stroys our businesses and neighborhoods, but without compromise, wipes out the safety net that we construct? When our communication systems, cars, offices, equipment, and our very homes are annihilated, our drive to help is not diminished, but our ability melts into the fog. We are feeling our way through. When our agencies in the Panhandle were besieged by Michael, they found themselves strong in resolve, mighty in courage, but woefully low on resources and communication.


It is during this time that WE stepped up and showed Florida and the nation who we are as police, as citizens, and helpers.


When I took office as your President of the Florida Police Chiefs Association, I did not need to be convinced of the caliber of cops we had all across the state. Time and time again, you and your staff have risen to every challenge and carried out your duty as an example to all. Yet, I never could have imagined what I would see both in the wrath of this devastating hurricane and the commit- ment of law enforcement to engage this monumental task.


This is who we are. We are not only law enforcers who carry a badge and make arrests. No, we are the people to answer the call to a higher sense of responsibility to our citizens and our communities. In fact, it is more than responsibility. To be frank, it is love. We love the people we serve. We love our state and its beauty. We love our communities and their rich histories. We love the old seaside restaurants and mom and pop shops. We love our pristine beaches and smiles of people born and raised in small towns and busy cities. We love our spirit and we love our neighbors. We love each other, because we know who we are and why we do what we do.


It is this love that sparked the urgency for agencies from across this state to pour aid to our brothers and sisters in northwest Flor- ida. Nobody needed to ask. Help was on the way and it is still coming. Assistance surged not only Fromthe Sunshine State, bur from our neighbors from around the nation. Members of the NYPD were even seen directing traffic in Panama City, Investments were made not just in labor, but in equipment and logistics as well. Patrol cars, office equipment, and gear were donated to help get pummeled departments back on their feet. It is selflessness without question or debt. In the face of despair, we have all risen and stood fast with our law enforcement family to take care of our greater family of fellow citizens. Because we love them. Period.


In the worst and most harrowing of times the helpers step forward and shine their brightest. Clearly, the response of you after this monster struck has been an example and a beacon to the world. As your president, I am honored to be with you as one helper among many. It is you and your work in this disaster and beyond that inspires me to work hard for you and our association every day.


Chief David Perry Florida State University Police Department


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