Honoring officers Detroit Red Wings host 5th Annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Night

By Sheila Pursglove Legal News Police vehicles lined the streets around "The Joe" on December 3, where hundreds of law enforcement and corrections officers and their families were among the fans cheering for the Detroit Red Wings against the Arizona Coyotes. The 5th Annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Night a partnership between the Detroit Red Wings and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund honored the service and sacrifice of these brave men and women, while raising awareness and funds for a National Law Enforcement Museum in the nation's capital. "It's a great way to raise awareness and funds for the Museum, but also to reflect on the positive work officers do to serve and protect in Michigan and across the country," said Craig W. Floyd, chairman & CEO of the Memorial Fund, who noted that every 60 hours a law enforcement officer is killed in the United States. A special package for the general public, law enforcement officers and their families included a ticket to the game and a co-branded Detroit Red Wings and National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund commemorative challenge coin. The Detroit Red Wings donated $10 from each of the 1,700 special package tickets sold to the fund-raising work. The first 500 ticket purchasers had the added thrill of taking shots on nets after the game. Coaches of both the Red Wings and Arizona Coyotes wore Memorial lapel pins during the game, which the Wings won 5-1. The opening ceremony that included the presentation of the colors by the Midland Police Department Honor Guard during the National Anthem, sung by Karen Newman who was escorted by Officer Stephen Schneider of the Southfield Police Department was dedicated to honoring three officers who fell in the line of duty in 2015: - MSP Trooper Chad Wolf from the Taylor Post, killed August 28 when his MSP motorcycle was struck by a vehicle towing a trailer. Trooper Wolf's family sat in the penalty box during pre-game warm-ups. - Lt. Arthur Green from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in Lansing, who was killed August 9 in a small plane crash on his way to a law enforcement training session. - Sgt. Joseph Abdella from the Detroit Police Department, who suffered a heart attack August 14 while working the Mounted Unit in Detroit. Sgt. Abdella's two daughters won a signed hockey stick, courtesy of a raffle held by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund; Chris Powell, an investigator at Wayne State University, won a signed puck, and donated it to the daughters. All three officers will also be honored and remembered during National Police Week in Washington, D.C, next May. Published: Thu, Dec 24, 2015