Dear Members,

The Monday after the 4th is regularly a day for most of us to take a breath and mentally “get back to normal” after a busy holiday week.  The week of the 4th typically brings overtime shifts and unusual calls.  You may get to sprinkle in a little family time, but it is always a chaotic time for cops.  Last week was even more so with the loss of Deputy Brandon Gaede of the Phillips County Sheriff Department.  I can’t help but think about Brandon’s family this morning and wish I could do more for them.  We would be remiss as an organization if we didn’t give pause and acknowledge the sacrifice Brandon made.  He will be missed. 

I am also very proud to be a cop today.  The way our communities rallied to support the Gaede family and ultimately honor him was impressive.  He would have been proud of the way we came together for him and his family.  I’m also keenly aware of other communities dealing with loss and tragedy.  I know as professionals we are all doing our part to help our citizens in every way we can.  I truly hope those officers affected also take some time to reset and recharge.  

As President, I want to thank Life Member Mike Yoder and his team at Trigger Guard for the work they have done in preparing for the upcoming KPOA Firearms Competition on July 19th.  Please plan a trip to Wellington for some camaraderie and trigger time.  We also have the executive board working hard to put together a fall conference that will stand out from others.  It kicks off with a Golf Tournament on September 7th followed by three days of quality training and networking opportunities.  Make sure you get yourself and a new officer registered soon.

Lastly, I want to remind everyone about the upcoming elections for District Governor, in which all members are eligible, and for the executive board, in which current and past governors are eligible.  Letters of interest for the executive board are due by September 1, and elections will be held at the conference on September 9th.  This being my fifth year on the executive board, I will not be running again for President.  I truly appreciate the KPOA and have enjoyed my time serving you.  I just need to scale back my involvement due to professional commitments.

Sincerely,

Deputy Chief Tim Greenwood
Hays Police Department
KPOA President