The IACLEA Fallen Officer Fund was established in June 2023. Sadly, campus law enforcement and public safety officers are killed in the line of duty far too often.
In fact, since 1923, 53 campus safety officers have paid the ultimate sacrifice while carrying out their duties. The names of these heroes are inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial (pictured above) in Washington, DC. In an effort support the families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, please consider a tax deductible donation to the IACLEA Fallen Officer Fund.
Officer Memorial Award 2023
Shortly after 7 pm on Saturday, February 18, 2023, one of our own, Officer Christopher Fitzgerald of the Temple University Police Department, paid the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the north Philadelphia community as he proactively engaged a group of individuals for suspicious activity. Officer Fitzgerald took his oath of office to serve and protect the students in his campus community, not to be murdered. The killing of Officer Fitzgerald hits home and to the core for all campus police and public safety officers who are out there every day protecting our students and campus communities.
Officer Fitzgerald, who was posthumously promoted to Sergeant, was a 31-year-old police officer, a husband, father, son, brother, community engagement officer, and friend to many. He loved the Temple community and Philadelphia sports and was a dedicated public servant. He was described as funny, positive, and a hardworking young man who had dreams and aspirations. All of these dreams cut short by gun violence. His colleagues and friends have shared stories and memories of how he always kept them laughing. We deem him a superhero.
IACLEA honors fallen campus public safety officers each year with the Officer Memorial Award, given to a representative of the fallen officer’s department during the Awards Ceremony at the Annual Conference & Exposition. The Officer Memorial Award honors the memory of a campus officer or employee of a campus public safety, police, or security department who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving his/her college/university/campus.