The National Association of Slain Officers is a nationwide non-profit 501(c)(3), Tax ID#: 93-1243349 organization whose mission is to provide: Charitable Assistance to the immediate family Members of a sworn State, County, City, or federal Law Enforcement Officer who is killed in the line of duty. The Goal of N.A.S.O is to assist the spouse and children, of a slain officer, during the first critical year after their loss. This assistance may include financial as well as other support services such as arranging counseling, trust fund, or other needs as they may be brought to N.A.S.O.'s attention.
Who Are We?
NASO is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization created to provide support and encouragement for the immediate family members of our fallen officers. In addition, NASO assists with programs that concentrate on the development of stronger relationships between the local law enforcement and its surrounding communities and neighborhoods.
How Did We Start?
Our founder,
Patrick Crader, a 15 year veteran of law enforcement, started NASO in 1998. Today Mr. Crader continues his volunteer work in the communities by going to schools and fingerprinting children for parent and school records. Mr. Crader also coaches children's athletics and provides a lending hand at his community church.
Several years ago two Portland Police Officers responded to a call while on patrol in their neighborhood. When they arrived on the scene a shooting took place. One of the officers was critically wounded and the other officer was unfortunately slain.
This loss to a fellow officer and a near fatality to another forced Patrick Crader to think about his future but more importantly about his family's future. How will they be taken care of if he leaves them?
After investigating his as well as other local departments, he found out some alarming information. Some medical and income benefits for his family would cease at the time of his death. In addition, the memorial funds that were set up were barely enough to pay for any part of the funeral expenses and services. What made matters worse was that the life insurance policies that we invest into month in and month out would take up to six months to provide benefits.
Over the last ten years an average of 155 officers were killed in the line of duty each year. That leaves about 155 spouses without their spouse and almost double that of children who wont have that parent any longer. These brave officers and their families have paid the ultimate sacrifice. We too often look at law enforcement as a job and a duty and do not realize what these brave men and women do for us day in and day out. What we think of as "just a traffic stop" could be the most dangerous stop they ever did. One selfish and unthinkable act of another is all it takes to not only end the life of a person, but to destroy the lives of so many others. These families are left with immense personal grief and should not have to feel the burden of financial obligations in these times of bereavement.
It was because of these reasons that Mr. Crader decided to start NASO.
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