Fallen+Officer

**//High School Seniors//**
 * //American Political Science//**

**//Overview/Objective://** This 45-minute class period will be held in the High School library/media center (due to the need for computers for research). Students will be learning and understanding a different approach, a more personal perspective of law enforcement than from our previous lectures. Students should understand the importance and sacrifice that those men and women made in protecting and serving the citizens of our nation. Students will recognize the dangers that our nations law enforcement officers may encounter while serving our communities.

**//Warm-Up (5 Minutes): Watching Series of Video Clips//** The three short video clips are from different Michigan Television news stations. These video clips are from a local (Livonia, MI) fallen law enforcement official. While viewing the video clips students are expected to be quiet, attentive and respectful. Also, the purpose of viewing these three clips is to engage and get students to begin thinking about the lecture. Students should be reflecting on what the impact this type of event has not only on the family members and friends of who knew the fallen officer but as well as the entire community.

1. media type="custom" key="11130326" <[]> (1:48)

2. media type="custom" key="11130416" <[] (2:28)

3. media type="custom" key="11130430" < []> (1:40)

**//Lecture (15 Minutes)://** 1. Explain to students how they will be applying their understandings from our previous lectures such as; of evaluating knowledge of rights and responsibilities under the law, understanding legal reasoning, citizens rights, responsibilities as a member of the state and nation and other functions of the American judicial system for this lecture. As well as, while applying their previous understandings, that they will taking a different approach to develop a deeper understanding and knowledge of those who serve in our local and national communities. Have a class discussion on student’s thoughts, emotions and other issues from the video clips they viewed for the warm-up (7 Minutes) 2. Handout & read over current data from “National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund” & Explain Independent Assignment to students. Students will be given the opportunity to discuss the data and facts from the handout. Also, I will allow students the opportunity to ask any questions they might have (8 Minutes)

**//Guided Independent Practice/Assessment (20 Minutes)://** 1. Each student will be assigned a recent fallen law enforcement officer. I will provided each student background information on their assigned fallen officer. 2. After students are expected to spend the remaining class period to begin research on their assigned fallen law enforcement officer in the library. Students will be given access to books and the school computers. With this assignment students will use a variety of sources (mostly by internet) to find newspaper articles, video clips and other information to develop an understanding of those who served and paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect our communities. I will make myself available for students to ask questions. As well as, I will make sure students are staying focused on their assignment.

**//Wrap-Up/Closure (5 Minutes)://** For the closure of the lecture, students will be given the opportunity to ask any remaining questions they might have. Explain to students to continue to their independent research. Lastly, I will remind students that during the next few weeks that they will be independently working on their research for the assignment, that for about 5-10 minutes a couple of times each week we will have class discussions where students will be expected to share their progress in research or I will give students individually a warm-up question that will ask them about their research for the assignment.







**//Independent Assignment: Fallen Law Enforcement Officer//** For this assignment you will be researching on a recently (within the last year) fallen law enforcement officer. In addition to a two page typed paper that memorializes the fallen officer you will create some sort of other way to memorialize your assigned person. You can choose any type of project to memorialize your fallen officer; some examples include (but you are not limited to these): poem, song, poster, photo colleague, etc. You will be given seven weeks to complete this assignment, please put in effort and dedication into this assignment and to honor these fallen law enforcement officers. I encourage while doing your researching to contact the police department and if possible maybe family members or friends of the fallen officer to find out information to develop a more personal understanding of the officer. **//However, you MUST remember while contacting these people to be extremely respectful and considerate of their personal emotions! You need to keep in mind you are bringing up a recent emotional experience for these people and some may want their privacy.//** If these people do not want to be interviewed please respect their feelings and find other ways to find out information on the fallen officer to memorialize their life and service to the community. The purpose of this independent assignment is so we as citizens can develop a more personal understanding of the ultimate sacrifice that some of our law enforcement officer’s had to pay in their service to protect our country’s communities. We need to find ways to memorialize these men and women and never forget their lives. In your paper include the following information (note: address these points, if available but do not limit yourself to just these):


 * The name of the fallen law enforcement officer
 * The date of the incident
 * A description of the incident
 * The police department the officer worked for at the time of the incident.
 * The badge number of the officer
 * The years of service of the officer
 * A picture of the officer
 * Survived by
 * Memories of family, friends, co-workers, community, etc of the fallen officer
 * How those remember the fallen officer
 * Your own words to memorialize and honor the fallen officer

**//“Law Enforcement Facts//** **//Key Data about the Profession”[1]//** **//FREEDOMS//** **//By Sgt Les Langford, Utah Highway Patrol//**
 * “There are more than **900,000** sworn law enforcement officers now serving in the United States, which is the highest figure ever. About **12 percent** of those are female.”
 * “In 2008, there were an estimated **4.9 million** violent crimes committed in the United States, as well as an estimated 16.3 million property crimes (according to the National Crime Victimization Survey conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics). Violent and property crime rates in 2008 remain at the lowest levels recorded since 1973, the first year that such data were collected. The rate of every major violent and property crime measured by BJS fell between 1999 and 2008. The overall violent crime rate fell 41 percent and the property crime rate declined by 32 percent during the last 10 years.”
 * “Crime fighting has taken its toll. Since the first recorded police death in 1791, there have been over **19,000** law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Currently, there are **19,298** names engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.”
 * “A total of **1,794** law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the past 10 years, an average of one death every **53** hours or **163** per year. There were **152** law enforcement officers killed in 2010.”
 * “On average, over the last decade, there have been **59,069** assaults against law enforcement each year, resulting in **16,041** injuries.”
 * “The **1970s** were the deadliest decade in law enforcement history, when a total of **2,286** officers died, or an average of almost **229** each year. The deadliest year in law enforcement history was **1930**, when **285** officers were killed. That figure dropped dramatically in the **1990s**, to an average of **160** per year.”
 * “The deadliest day in law enforcement history was September 11, 2001, when **72** officers were killed while responding to the terrorist attacks on America.”
 * “New York City has lost more officers in the line of duty than any other department, with **693** deaths. Texas has lost **1,594** officers, more than any other state. The state with the fewest deaths is Vermont, with **21**.”
 * “There are **1,016** federal officers listed on the Memorial, as well as **571** correctional officers and **30** military law enforcement officers.”
 * “There are **245** female officers listed on the Memorial; **six** female officers were killed in 2010.”
 * “During the past ten years, more officers were killed feloniously on **Friday** than any other day of the week. The fewest number of felonious fatalities occurred on **Sunday**. Over the past decade, more officers were killed between 8:01 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. than during any other two-hour period. **//”//**

//It is the police officer - not the reporter, who protects freedom of the press.// //It is the police officer - not the poet, who guards our freedom of speech.// //It is the armed police officer, training in the use of deadly force, ready to defend the innocent against aggression and the weak against the violent, standing ready to serve and protect even with his life if necessary.// //It is the police officer who preserves your rights to keep and bare arms.// //It is the police officer - not the politician, who insures freedom of assembly.// //It is the police officer - not the campus organizer, who safeguards the freedom to demonstrate.// //It is the police officer - not the defense attorney, who reads Miranda warnings and informs defendants of inalienable rights.// //It is the police officer who is willing to disclose all evidence, even evidence which may weaken a case, in order to protect the innocent and insure that justice shall prevail.// //It is the police officer - not the preacher, who safeguards our liberties, including freedom of religion.// //It is the police officer - not the judges, who seeks out witnesses, thus preserving rights of the accused.// //It is the police officer, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag// //It is the police officer, who vigilantly serves the public, protecting society from evil, and preserving all our freedoms.//

[1] “National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund” []