The Downed Officer Foundation is a 501-3C non-profit organization, dedicated to helping the families of police officers, deputies and firefighters, who have lost their lives in the line of duty, or who die of any cause while in the active service of their communities, with special emphasis on children and teens. The foundation works with any agency in the Southern California area, with plans of expanding to a larger area in the future. The foundation's services are to be offered to any agency at no cost to the agency or the survivors.
The Downed Officer Foundation was formed in July of 1999, by Sergeant Robert Norlemann of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He saw a need in the law enforcement and public safety community, to provide emotional support to surviving family members of police officers, deputies and firefighters who die while in the active service of their communities. He observed, first hand, how the officers/firefighters agencies helped the survivors along through the funeral process, but then the agencies go about their business and the families are left to deal with the tremendous grief on their own.
The foundation is totally supported by donations from the public. The main funding comes from the Downed Officer Support Ride. The participants pay a donation to go on the ride, and participate in the day's events. We also accept donations at any time, and in any amount. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN: Anthony Arnold
In 2005, Bob Norlemann retired from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and in doing so, he chose to step down as the Director of the Downed Officer Support Foundation and Ride. Bob wanted to select a new Director that would continue on with his vision of providing support to any law enforcement officer or firefighter injured or killed in the line of duty as well as their families. After a long and exhausting search, Bob chose Anthony (Tony) Arnold, a current member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to take the reins. Bob and Tony have been friends for years having met in 1988 while Tony was a boot trainee newly assigned to patrol.
Tony Arnold has 23 years of experience as a Deputy Sheriff and is currently a Sergeant assigned to the North County Correctional Facility. His experiences as a Deputy Sheriff have taken him on many paths. Tony is very excited with the challenge of leading such an honorable endeavor as the Downed Officer Support Foundation and signature Ride. In 2005, Tony officially took the ride over and a new era was launched. Tony has a quest to increase ridership, sponsorship and to supply support to those in need at a much higher level. Below is Tony's vision statement:
I am so proud to be associated with the Downed Officer Support Foundation and Ride. We all have an inner voice that calls us to our eventual destiny. I am shaped by so many events that have happened to me over the years, too many to recount. My call to duty was formed at an early age and runs deep in my family. My brother is a Los Angeles City Firefighter. Although I chose a different path, community service was built into our very fabric as children.
I believe serving the community, just as in serving our country, is as honorable a profession as one can pursue. Taking that one step further, serving those who have fallen or have been injured while serving our communities is by far a humbling and privileged honor. I have been an avid supporter of the Downed Officer Support Ride and the Downed Officer Support Foundation since attending the first ride in 1996.
My life took a sudden and permanent turn when I was involved in the Santa Clarita Valley Shooting in 2001, which took the life of Deputy Jake Kuredjian. Jake was a good friend of mine as he was with the other officers that were there that day. The events of that day reshaped my views on life. Bob Norlemann, my friend and partner, was there for me after my shooting experience and helped me get through the tough emotional times that followed. Shortly after the shooting, with the events of 9-11, my brother was sent to New York on the rescue and recovery mission at the World Trade Center crisis.
Since becoming involved with the Downed Officer Ride Foundation, I have escorted family members at events in Sacramento, California and in Washington, D.C. It is a true blessing to be able to assist those grieving for their lost loved ones. Now that I have taken over for Bob, I have visited with the families of many lost officers and firefighters. I have also been able to provide emotional support to others injured or seriously ill. These experiences have had a profound effect on me. I will continue to honor Bob's vision and I hope to build DOSR into an even larger success that it boasts today.
VICE CHAIRMAN, CFO: Neil Fischer
More coming soon!
VICE CHAIRMAN: Jeff Hanley
More coming soon!
Robert Norlemann is the founder of the Downed Officer Support Ride and the Downed Officer Support Ride Foundation. Bob retired in January of 2005 from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, as a Sergeant, after 24 years of dedicated service.
Bob started the Downed Officer Support Ride in 1996, when a friend, Raphael Casillas, a California Highway Patrol Officer, was shot, and critically injured, at the termination of a pursuit in Granada Hills, California. Ralphael survived his injuries, but unfortunately had to retire from the C.H.P.
Bob was looking for a way to help Raphael's family, and families of other officers who were either killed or injured in the line of duty. He searched for a program to donate the proceeds from the first ride, one that could accomplish his goal, provide aid to the officers survivors. He found the L.A.P.D. Family Support Group.
The first three years of the ride, the proceeds were all donated to the L.A.P.D. Family Support Group. During this three year period, Bob attempted to get a similar group started on his department. After knocking on many doors, then Chief Leroy Baca (now Sheriff Leroy Baca) took interest and introduced the idea to then Sheriff Sherman Block. Sheriff Block gave the L.A.S.D's Survivors in Partnership his blessing. The L.A.S.D. group was off and running. The Downed Officer Support Ride donated money to both of these fine groups. Sergeant Norlemann then founded the Downed Officer Support Ride Foundation to better manage the mission of the Downed Officer Support Ride.
With the new Downed Officer Ride Foundation in place, Bob was able to help other agencies in the Southern California area. In June of 2001, the Foundation donated $1,000 to the L.A. City Fire Department's Widow's and Orphan's Fund. This began a new tradition of assisting Firefighters and their families after an injury or death in the line of duty.
The Foundation has sent several survivors to be trained as grief facilitators. The Foundation is looking for volunteer police officers/firefighters who would like to become big brother type figures, for surviving kids, on field trips to the zoo, a baseball game, or some other type outings, so that these surviving kids can maintain their ties to the law enforcement/firefighter communities that they have been cut off from, by the death of their loved one.
If you know of a police officer or firefighter's family that is in need of assistance, or if you would like to become a volunteer, please e-mail any of the dedicated members of the Downed Officer Support Foundation. We would be honored to help if at all possible.
