PLANO – Kerri Long said she loves and hates her job at the Texas Fallen Officer Foundation . She is the vice president of the Plano-based nonprofit.
Long, a police officer at the Tyler Police Department, loves helping people but dreads the tragedy she encounters.
“I try not to cry when I say this; you hear the stories of the widows and how much they love their husbands,” Long said. “You see the kids, you know, they’ve lost their dad, or they lost their husbands, and it’s extremely sad.”
The Texas Fallen Officer Foundation provides financial assistance and emotional support to officers critically injured in the line of duty and to families of fallen officers.
Retired Dallas police sergeant Demetrick “Tre” Pennie is the president and executive director. He said the organization helps families navigate the aftermath of their loss.
Pennie, a national advocate for fallen officers, said his nonprofit has provided significantly more assistance than in previous years. He said that compared to 2023, their services to families and officers jumped approximately 26%. The organization attributes the rise to more officer injuries, officer fatalities, and victim awareness of their services.