Peace Officers Research Association of California

April 2020

Responding to COVID-19

Coronavirus’s Impact on Law Enforcement The term “March Madness” has taken on an entirely different meaning in 2020. Instead of describing the fanaticism focused on college basketball tournament brackets, it’s […] Read More

Out of Tragedy, Purpose

Out of tragedy, sometimes organizations find purpose. That’s the case for PORAC and its Fund a Hero platform. For me, the tragedy was a night in August 2018 when a young rookie Oakland police officer named Jordan Wingate was involved in a very serious on-duty vehicle collision. Jordan was the sole occupant of a police car that struck a big rig, and he suffered a traumatic brain injury in the accident. In the days, weeks and months that followed, there was an outpouring of support for Jordan from his colleagues and the community. My association, Oakland POA, set up an account at our local credit union to take monetary donations to aid his recovery. While many sent donations to the account, others wanted Jordan’s dad, a veteran Oakland police captain, to set up a modern, online and convenient way to donate to Jordan’s recovery fund. In response, a GoFundMe account was created, and generous online donations flooded in. Read More

Capitol Beat – Officer Wellness, Elections and the Future

Peace officers experience more trauma throughout their careers than most people do in a lifetime. What others only see in headlines, our officers will likely come face to face with during their career. Without the resources to cope and manage the stress and trauma associated with being in law enforcement, our officers’ health and well-being are compromised. This year, PORAC is standing in strong support of the Officer Wellness Budget Proposal submitted by the California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA). This proposal appropriates $40 million out of the general fund to support peace officer wellness and mental health programs across California. Read More