Anyone who has been involved in law enforcement or has attended Police Week in Washington, D.C., may be familiar with the name Craig Floyd. He founded the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) in 1984 alongside U.S. Representative Mario Biaggi (D-NY). Under his leadership, the Memorial was completed and dedicated in 1991, the Museum opened in 2018, and now the NLEOMF maintains the most comprehensive database of officers killed in the line of duty. After 34 years of guiding the organization, he retired in 2018 and became Founding CEO Emeritus.
Floyd didn’t stay retired for very long. He had dedicated a large portion of his life to honoring police officers. In 2020, supporters of the Defund the Police movement targeted our brave men and women in law enforcement. Floyd could not sit idly by and watch as these brave heroes were demeaned and criticized. So, he decided to form a new organization, Citizens Behind the Badge, to be a leading voice of the American people in support of men and women in law enforcement.
Citizens Behind the Badge (behindbadge.org) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization governed by a three-person board of directors and an eighteen-person advisory council composed of law enforcement officers. The organization highlights the heroic work of law enforcement officers nationwide. True to the NLEOMF mission, Citizens Behind the Badge also honors fallen officers through their podcasts (released every Tuesday) and videos.
The goals of the organization are to ensure that law enforcement receives the resources and respect needed to keep our nation safe; reverse the disastrous consequences of the “defund and defame the police” movement; conduct a massive public education campaign in support of law enforcement; bolster law enforcement recruitment efforts; advocate for pro-law enforcement policies and elected officials at all levels of government; serve as a reliable source of accurate information on crime and policing; tell the stories that exemplify law enforcement’s extraordinary service and sacrifice; and promote officer safety and wellness.
Citizens Behind the Badge is working tirelessly for the men and women in law enforcement. They helped draft Senate Resolution 218, first introduced by then-Senator JD Vance (R-OH) in the 118th Congress. It will be reintroduced in the 119th Congress by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA). This resolution expresses support for U.S. law enforcement officers and calls for increased measures to maximize their safety and well-being. You can sign the declaration of your support for law enforcement here: https://citizensbehindbadge.givesecured.org/node/18.
If you are a law enforcement officer or a supporter, Citizens Behind the Badge depends on people like you. To keep up with the good work that the organization is doing for law enforcement, you can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Robert Bowling
Robert Bowling is a retired police officer from Fishers (IN) and Durham (NC) police departments. In retirement, he has continued his passion to honor fallen officers. He is an Ambassador for the National Law Enforcement Memorial, as well as an historical researcher for the Officer Down Memorial Page. He also has a passion for history, focusing primarily on law enforcement history. He is a member of the Police History Society and is the author of the book Wicked Fishers. He currently teaches Criminal Justice for a local high school.
