About Us and Our History
Our history
Care of Police Survivors (COPS) was founded in 2003 by survivor Christine Fulton MBE and the late Jim McNulty, a Strathclyde Police Detective.
Want to learn about us? Here’s how it all began
A tragic incident in which two US officers were killed began a chain of events that led to the foundation of COPS.
On 4 July 1995, Lieutenant Danny P. Elkins of the Yuma Police Department, Arizona, was shot and killed on duty investigating missing evidence. Danny left a wife and daughter, but his death started a chain of events that could never have been foreseen.
Strathclyde Police Detective Jim McNulty was a friend of Danny’s. He had visited him in Yuma and even gone for a ‘ride along’ with him on duty. They were, as the Chief of Yuma Police Department noted, kindred spirits.
Inspired by Police Week
Experiencing National Police Week in the US prompted Strathclyde Police Officer Jim Nulty to start a movement to hold a similar event in the UK.
Jim travelled to Washington DC and visited the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial (NLEOM) to look for Danny’s name on the wall. There are over 20,000 names on the Memorial and as he searched, a passer-by asked if he could be of any help. That man was Craig Floyd, CEO of the Memorial Foundation. The two spoke and Craig recommended that Jim return to the US for National Police Week, a week of events honouring fallen police officers.
Seeing how the US Law Enforcement community paid tribute to their fallen officers and how the charity Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S) supported their surviving families convinced Jim of the need for something similar in the UK.
Perseverance pays off
Jim started his mission to set up a charity for survivors in the UK, but his early efforts met with closed doors.
On returning home Jim began to knock on doors to gather support for a Scottish Police Memorial and a charity to support the families of police officers who died on duty. His early success, however, was limited, but Jim persevered.
After the tragedy of September 11 2001, Jim organised a trip to Police Week and was joined by 30 officers from all over the UK.
They formed a guard of honour with their US colleagues for the survivors as they arrived for the candlelight vigil.
Perseverance pays off
Jim started his mission to set up a charity for survivors in the UK, but his early efforts met with closed doors.
On returning home Jim began to knock on doors to gather support for a Scottish Police Memorial and a charity to support the families of police officers who died on duty. His early success, however, was limited, but Jim persevered.
After the tragedy of September 11 2001, Jim organised a trip to Police Week and was joined by 30 officers from all over the UK.
They formed a guard of honour with their US colleagues for the survivors as they arrived for the candlelight vigil.
Life-changing Police Week
The ‘Bobbies at Police Week’ contingent returned to Police Week in 2003, and this time Christine Fulton, whose police officer husband Lewis had died on duty in 1994, joined them.
Christine spent her time visiting US survivors and meeting organisers from C.O.P.S and the NLEOM Fund while her nine-year-old son Luke was included in all the C.O.P.S. kids events.
Christine admits she went along thinking it would be a nice holiday but Police Week changed their lives. The right idea, at the right time with the right people found doors were not only open, but Jim’s ideas were now listened to and acted upon.
From small beginnings to national charity
From those initial visits and the contacts made emerged the driving force and original Trustees of both Care of Police Survivors (COPS) and the Scottish Police Memorial.
The first COPS Survivor Weekend was held at Lichfield, Staffordshire, in 2003. Sixty-four survivors came to the weekend and one Chief Constable attended the Sunday service. From those small beginnings has emerged the successful and vibrant charity that is COPS today.
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COPS
Care of Police Survivors (COPS) is a charity that supports the families of police officers and staff who have lost their lives on duty.
Tel: 01543 410790
Email: admin@ukcops.org
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Care of Police Survivors (COPS)
The Studio at the Stables
Catton Park, Catton Estate
Catton
DE12 8LN
About COPS
Registered Charity 1170760 (England and Wales). COPS & COPS logos are registered trademarks.
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