Officer Memorial

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 donating 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.

Note: 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. See past honorees, below.

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. Learn more about nominating an officer here.

Past Honorees:

2022 - Police Officer John Painter & Safety Officer Vashon "J.J." Jefferson 

2018 - Corporal Monty D. Platt, West Texas A&M University Police Department

2017 - Sergeant Collin Rose, Wayne State University & Officer Jody Smith, Georgia Southwestern State University

2016 - Officer Garrett Swasey, University of Colorado – Colorado Springs

2015 - Officer Marc U. Kelley, Trinity University

2013 - Officer Sean A. Collier, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2012 - Officer Deriek Crouse, Virginia Tech

2008 - Officer Thomas Devlin, Boston College