What a Fantastic Week!
Last week, Jim Bontrager returned to Birmingham to present “Sun Tzu and The Officer Resiliency Mindset.” This three-day event was attended by over 90 officers representing 33 agencies from across the state. Jim was joined by his long-time friend Dan Thayer, a retired Michigan State Police, who shared a story about a 2018 shooting he was involved in.
The first two days were hosted by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department at Gardendale First Baptist Church. The following days, we had the opportunity to hold our first event outside of Birmingham. On Thursday, Jim traveled to Dothan and spoke to officers from the Dothan Police Department and many others from the Wiregrass area.
Here are just a few of the comments from last week: “The best I’ve seen in years.” “Very good, just what I needed.” and “Very helpful to refresh an officer’s life.” These represent only a small sample of the many positive comments received.
A special thanks goes to the many who worked behind the scenes to make the week a success: Tommie Black, Jefferson County Sheriff Training Center; Gardendale First Baptist Church; Andy Hughes, Dothan Police Department; Dothan Police Foundation and Harvest Church. They, plus the many donors who gave, make these events a reality. It was truly a team effort.
What’s Next?
We believe events such as what we had last week are great for giving you the tools needed to face the challenges of the profession. However, without ongoing training and dialogue, we often slip back into our old ways.
Blue Watch would like to offer smaller venues on a regular basis where members of the law enforcement community can meet to discuss issues relevant to the profession. We often learn more from each other than from a professional speaker. We want to help you navigate the challenges at work and home.
If you are interested in learning more, or willing to lead a group, let us hear from you. Our hope is to organize several groups around the state later this year.
Stay tuned for more information about this and be on the lookout for other upcoming events. Details to be released this summer.
We Want to Hear From You!
Blue Watch is here to serve you, the law enforcement community, and your families. We want to hear from you because we want to offer services that you need and want.
The people of Alabama support their officers and they stand ready to help. Email us your suggestion to info@bluewatchfoundation.org.
Get Involved
There are many ways to support the Blue Watch mission:
- Pray – we need prayer warriors who will pray for us on an ongoing basis and at special events.
- Volunteer – we are in need of people who will help manage our website, social media and other aspects of the ministry. If the mission of Blue Watch is of interest to you and you have a skillset to offer, consider Blue Watch.
- Donate – it takes money to make all of this happen. The Lord greatly blessed us in 2020, but to continue our progress will require increased giving. You can give online or by check.
If any of these are of interest to you, please email us at info@bluewatchfoundation.org.
Support the Mission
Please prayerfully consider making Blue Watch part of your year-end giving. The faithful giving of many in the community has made all we’ve done possible. To continue the mission will require greater community support. If this is something you feel led to support, you can donate by:
- Clicking the “Donate” button at the top of the page.
- Making a check payable to Blue Watch and mail to 2620 Swiss Lane, Birmingham, AL 35226.
Blue Watch is a 501c(3) non-profit. All donations are tax deductible.
The mission of Blue Watch is to help officers and their families experience the relevance and benefits of God in their lives.