SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The active-duty deaths of two Wisconsin police officers this week have sent shockwaves throughout the policing profession.
Officers here in Minnesota are feeling the impact.
“Whenever it happens it affects us,” Brian Hubbard says. “We have reached out to offer our condolences and support.”
Hubbard is the president of the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association(MLEMA).
It's his job to work with families when a loved one dies in the line of duty.
"I've been involved in probably about 10 line of duty deaths since I've been in this role,” Hubbard explains.
"Our goal in Minnesota is within about 24 hours of being notified of a death we start the process rolling of meeting with the immediate family. It really is our full-time job for a week to help facilitate these details."
The MLEMA was started in 1974 to help families of fallen officers.
Hubbard says Wisconsin has a similar group that is helping the families of Officers Emily Breidenbach and Hunter Scheel.
“When we got to help these smaller departments with funeral arrangements and to process the situation, you can see that their head is spinning. They’re thinking how am I going to plan these big funerals with all of these processions and everything. It’s very overwhelming. It’s our job to come in and say you worry about grieving, you worry about helping each other, we’re going to come in and guide you through this process,” Hubbard says.
He says a few Minnesota officers will likely attend services this week to show support and other officers are standing by in case any departments need extra help.
"Obviously there are still 911 calls that come in that still need to be answered. So, figuring out how those are going to be answered,” Hubbard says.
According to the MLEMA 's records, Hubbard says 299 Minnesota officers have died in the line of duty.
"We have been fortunate that we have not had a line of duty-death in Minnesota since December of 2021. Obviously, we're one phone call, one traffic stop, one situation from that changing, but fortunately, we haven't, we are coming up on a year and a half where we haven't experienced one,” Hubbard says.
But when active duty deaths happen, even out of state, Hubbard says they affect police officers everywhere, causing them to stress and worry as they think about their own safety in the field.
"It's very cliché but I can't overstate that if your viewers see a police officer in a coffee shop or at the gas station, a thank you to them for what they do and the sacrifices they are preparing to make goes a long way."
Hubbard says there are both state and federal services available when a family loses a loved one in the line of duty.
He says Minnesota also offers the children of fallen officers free scholarships to state universities.
Several other nonprofit groups and trade associations also offer financial and grief support when families require assistance.
National Peace Officers Memorial Day is May 15th this year.
The Minnesota association is planning a special ceremony that will be held at the memorial in Saint Paul to honor Minnesota officers who died serving their community.
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