Posts
...Thinking Clearly About Intimate Partner Violence, That Is.
On December 24, 2012 Wauwatosa Wisconsin Police Officer Jennifer Sebena was on duty, in uniform, operating a department squad car, responding to a dispatched call when she was attacked, disarmed, and shot dead with her service weapon. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund – who has it in their power to inscribe her name on their memorial to officers who have fallen in the line of duty – has decided Officer Sebena's name does not belong on their memorial wall because she was killed by her husband. Not recognizing an intimate partner homicide as a line of duty death sends a chilling and dangerous message to victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. She was no less a cop and no less a murder victim simply because it was her husband who killed her. This is not an embarrassment the NLEOMF can sweep under the rug or find some way to ignore. This was the murder of a person, a citizen, a woman, a daughter, a sister, a public servant, and an on-duty law enforcement officer. One hopes public pressure will help the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund see the egregious errors in its thought process.
Perhaps some letters, emails, and phone calls will help...
Craig W. Floyd
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Office
1. E Street, NW, Suite 100
Washington, DC 20004-2025
Phone: 202-737-3400
Fax: 202-737-3405
Perhaps some letters, emails, and phone calls will help...
Craig W. Floyd
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Office
1. E Street, NW, Suite 100
Washington, DC 20004-2025
Phone: 202-737-3400
Fax: 202-737-3405
Mr. Floyd doesn't list his email at their website, but their Media Contact Steve Groeninger does.
There's a petition at Change.org Be sure to sign on there at least.
UPDATE: The text of my email to Mr. Groeninger
REUPDATE: Turns out the NLEOMF does have a comment tool at the bottom of their staff page. Here's the message I addressed to Craig Floyd, their Chairman and CEO:
ANOTHER UPDATE: The NLEOMF has decided to revisit their decision on April 3, 2013 instead of kicking the can down the road until 2014. They have corrected their sense of urgency but it remains to be seen whether or not they have corrected their antiquated thinking. I hope the board finds a way to internalize the truth that being the victim of intimate partner violence is certainly horrible but it is not dishonorable.
The NLEOMF board appears to be mostly white (90%), mostly male (86%), and more or less middle-aged, so bustin' it old school may be only tool in their bag. I hope they are wise enough to bring in some experts to help raise their awareness around the pernicious problem of intimate partner violence. Or perhaps an infusion of diverse fresh talent is needed...
Refusing to recognize the murder of Wauwatosa Police Officer Jennifer Sebena as a line-of-duty death because it was an intimate partner homicide sends a chilling message to the victims and the perpetrators of domestic violence. She was no less a cop and no less a murder victim simply because it was her husband who killed her. This is not an embarrassment one sweeps under the rug or finds a way to ignore. This was the murder of a person, a citizen, a woman, a daughter, a sister, a public servant, and an on-duty law enforcement officer. I know you have promised to reconsider your poor decision next year, but “kicking the can down the road” will be seen for what it is, a craven attempt to delay admitting your mistake until you think no one is paying attention. I suspect by now you have noticed that everyone is paying attention and will not stop until your error in judgment is corrected. Acting promptly is the only way for NLEOMF to get out from under this unfortunate self-inflicted injury with your reputation intact. Please act today to grant Police Officer Jennifer Sebena what little respect you have to bestow upon her memory. Act now. Justice delayed is justice denied.
REUPDATE: Turns out the NLEOMF does have a comment tool at the bottom of their staff page. Here's the message I addressed to Craig Floyd, their Chairman and CEO:
Refusing to recognize the murder of Officer Jennifer Sebena as a line-of-duty death because it was an intimate partner homicide sends a chilling and dangerous message to victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. Officer Sebena was no less a cop and no less a murder victim simply because it was her husband who killed her. This is not an embarrassment you can sweep under the rug or find a way to ignore. This was the murder of a person, a citizen, a woman, a daughter, a sister, a public servant, and an on-duty law enforcement officer. I know you have promised to reconsider your poor decision next year, but “kicking the can down the road” will be seen for what it is, a craven attempt to delay admitting your mistake until you think no one is paying attention. But the world is watching, and waiting. Acting promptly is the only way for the NLEOMF to get out from under this unfortunate self-inflicted injury with your reputation intact. Act today to grant Police Officer Jennifer Sebena what little honor is yours to bestow upon her memory.
ANOTHER UPDATE: The NLEOMF has decided to revisit their decision on April 3, 2013 instead of kicking the can down the road until 2014. They have corrected their sense of urgency but it remains to be seen whether or not they have corrected their antiquated thinking. I hope the board finds a way to internalize the truth that being the victim of intimate partner violence is certainly horrible but it is not dishonorable.
The NLEOMF board appears to be mostly white (90%), mostly male (86%), and more or less middle-aged, so bustin' it old school may be only tool in their bag. I hope they are wise enough to bring in some experts to help raise their awareness around the pernicious problem of intimate partner violence. Or perhaps an infusion of diverse fresh talent is needed...
Quite a turn of events in which it seems to matter WHO kills you on duty. A lot like the Ft. Hood shootings being referred to as workplace violence, which effects levels of medical care for survivors, and proper honors for the dead. Whomever made the call on both needs to put in a rush order for a spine.
ReplyDeletessgmarkcr
ReplyDelete"A lot like the Ft. Hood shootings being referred to as workplace violence, which effects levels of medical care for survivors, and proper honors for the dead."
While I regard Ft. Hood as a WPV incident I didn't know benefits and honors were in play. Please tell us more.
All of the wounded and dead would be eligible for a Purple Heart if it had been combat related. Ten soldiers were awarded the Army Soldiers Medal for their actions, some of whom attempted to charge Hasan during the attack. The Soldiers Medal award is a peacetime award for valor about equal to the Distinguished Service Cross. Other potential awards for valor would be available to the soldiers if it were considered combat related.
ReplyDeleteAs for benifits, that situation is a bit murkier. One soldier who was a victim of the shooting is quoted at loosing $70,000 in benifits because a medical review board determined that his wounds arent combat related. I cant honestly speak to that because military medical review boards are the type of thing that is quite complicated and hard to describe.
I had to go through one once and a military surgeon told me that reimbursement levels are tight. In light of current advances in medical technology, she said that a soldier who lost a leg would receive around 30% pay for a medical retirement based on that wound.
From what I've read of the shooting Hasan became progressively more devout in the islamic religion, to the point of being counseled because it affected his performance. And then before he started shooting, yelled Allau Akbar. (spelling?) Can you share why you believe that it is an incident of workplace violence?