National Police Association Podcast #81 with Lt. Randy Sutton (Ret) host of Blue Lives Radio and founder of the Wounded Blue Foundation
National Police Association Podcast #81 with Lt. Randy Sutton (Ret) host of Blue Lives Radio and founder of the Wounded Blue Foundation
QUOTES
05:23 "Every single one of these heartbreaking communications ended with the same thing: I feel abandoned. I feel alone. I feel forgotten. And I looked for a national resource and there wasn't one, and so as a result, The Wounded Blue was born."
08:46 "Post-traumatic stress is as real as a bullet. And many many many departments still refuse to recognize that that's even an injury. It's really shocking."
12:06 "We call it our SEAL approach: Support, Education, Assistance, and Legislation. But I gotta tell you, we're fighting a really uphill battle."
16:37 "We call it the K-9 Companion Program and we've given a number of these dogs to injured and disabled officers. And I gotta tell you, I have one guy contact me said, you saved my life with this dog. I was so alone. I was so lonely."
18:26 "Our allegiance is to no administrations. Our only allegiance is to the men and women that contact us or we contact because we reach out a lot, and say you know what, you're not alone in this fight. You got somebody watching your six."
-----------------------------
SUMMARY
In this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sgt. Betsy Smith interviews Lt. Randy Sutton (Ret) host of Blue Lives Radio and founder of the Wounded Blue Foundation. The heartbreaking reality is that many cops who almost sacrifice their lives in the line of duty are not taken care of by their departments. Faced with a similar situation himself, Randy founded his organization to act as the support group that wounded cops can rely on when the community they served turns its back on them.
------------------------------
HIGHLIGHTS
01:14 Why The Wounded Blue Foundation was born
09:54 The reality that officers must "prove" that PTSD is a real disability
12:40 Even lawyers have turned their back on cops
15:35 Savings cops with the K-9 Companion Program
------------------------------
RESOURCES