Care of Police Survivors
About COPS
Care of Police Survivors (otherwise known as COPS) is a UK registered charity dedicated to helping the families of police officers who have lost their lives whilst on duty.
We aim to ensure that survivors have all the help they need to cope with such a tragedy, and that they remain part of the police family as they rebuild their lives. Only another survivor can fully understand what new survivors endure, that shared experience is the basis for our peer support programme.
COPS enables survivors to help survivors, the extent of help provided will always be controlled by the new survivor. Sometimes an understanding listener is needed. Sometimes more practical help is required. Whatever the need, COPS will be able to put survivors in touch with those who truly understand.
Sometimes all it takes is for somebody to listen to you, and to be able to say “That’s exactly how it was for me”.
We all go through the same range of emotions, anger, denial, grief, acceptance. We don’t all do it in the same order or in the same time scale, but we do it. If you are a survivor then you are no longer alone. COPS is here for you.
It doesn’t matter if your officer died recently or many years ago. I hope you can draw strength from this organisation.
We are here if ever you need us.
COPS is independent of the police service and was founded in March 2003 by Jim McNulty and Christine Fulton (MBE). Jim was a retired police officer from Strathclyde Police. Christine is the widow of PC Lewis Fulton who was murdered on duty in Glasgow in 1994.
Christine’s experience of that tragedy gave her a unique understanding of the overwhelming grief and confusion that is encountered by new survivors. COPS makes contact with the survivors of every officer who loses their life on duty, explaining what COPS does and inviting them to make contact when they are ready for such support.
The Policy Unity Tour are incredibly proud to support COPS and the outstanding work that they do.
Find out more about COPS, donate and purchase merchandise to support their work on their website.
