When Tragedy Strikes, Speed Matters: How ‘Back The Badge 911’ Supports Families Of Fallen Officers

(Sponsored message from the National Center for Police Defense)

Official assistance can take weeks—or months. This grassroots initiative ensures grieving law enforcement families aren’t left waiting.

When a law enforcement officer gives their life in the line of duty, the nation often responds with tributes, salutes and solemn words of gratitude. But behind the scenes, the families left behind face a far more immediate reality: funeral costs, lost income and the crushing emotional toll of a life shattered in an instant.

While state and federal programs—along with police unions—offer support, the truth is that help is often delayed by bureaucratic hurdles and red tape. At a time when families are reeling, these delays compound their grief.

That’s why Back the Badge 911, a project of the National Center for Police Defense (NCPD), is stepping into the gap—providing fast, meaningful relief in the moments that matter most.

“Back the Badge is an attempt at giving hope and immediate comfort to the families of seriously injured or murdered cops,” said Jim Fotis, president of NCPD. “It always feels great to help a family in the midst of crisis.”

Born Out of a Crisis

Back the Badge wasn’t created in a vacuum. According to Fotis, its founding was a direct response to the growing climate of hostility toward law enforcement.

“The inspiration behind Back the Badge was caused by continuous attacks on cops around the country. After we formed NCPD in 2015, more and more law enforcement officers were being ambushed. Our cry became that there is a ‘War on Cops’—not only by the bad guys but also by a system filled with prosecutors that would rather go after cops than criminals,” Fotis said.

He added that this climate of fear and hesitation has made policing more dangerous, not less.

“As time passed, the war became worse. More cops were being killed in ambushes because they were afraid to react to the criminal threat. This caused us at NCPD to start Back the Badge.”

A Lifeline When It’s Needed Most

Back the Badge 911 was created with one mission: to provide swift, no-strings-attached financial relief to officers and their families who suffer injury or loss in the line of duty. While other programs require complicated forms, approvals and time-consuming paperwork, Back the Badge 911 moves quickly—cutting checks, organizing fundraisers and offering meaningful support within days.

That commitment was made heartbreakingly clear in May 2024, following the tragic loss of Officer Jacob Derbin, a 23-year-old Euclid, Ohio police officer who was ambushed while responding to a domestic disturbance call.

Despite his young age, Derbin showed remarkable courage. He was checking the backyard of a residence to protect a terrified woman from her menacing ex when he was fatally shot.

Even as he lay mortally wounded, Officer Derbin used his final breath to warn his fellow officers of the danger, likely saving their lives in the process.

Officer Derbin’s sacrifice stands as a powerful reminder of the risks law enforcement officers take every single day—and the extraordinary bravery they show in the face of evil.

In the days after his death, Back the Badge 911 issued a $1,000 donation to Officer Derbin’s family to help with immediate needs. They also minted a commemorative challenge coin in his honor—a small token of remembrance, but a deeply personal one for a grieving family.

“Our goal is to grow the $1,000 gift to $25,000,” Fotis explained. “Vice President Bert Eyler has designed a challenge coin for those that have been severely wounded, and a second coin for those heroes who gave their life for their community, which will have their face as a remembrance on it.”

This vision points to Back the Badge’s longer-term objective: creating a sustainable, growing fund that can offer meaningful financial relief in the wake of tragedy.

The Bureaucratic Lag in Official Support

Despite noble intentions, traditional sources of aid often lag when time is most critical. Federal and union-backed programs can take months to deliver support, and many are bound by complex filing requirements and strict eligibility rules.

Examples of delays include:

-Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Benefits: Families must reach out to the local lodge’s Benefit Coordinator. Payment depends on submitting a range of documents, including official identification and confirmation of death circumstances.

-Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB): Administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, this federal program offers death and education benefits to surviving families. But families are required to file within three years—and the process is often delayed by required documentation, agency correspondence and case reviews.

-Departmental Relief Funds: Some departments offer in-house support, but these can be subject to internal board approvals and budget constraints.

While these programs are vital, they are built for long-term assistance. What’s missing is the immediate help—and that’s where Back the Badge 911 fills the void.

“Every day, officers put on the uniform knowing they might not come home. When one of them falls, we owe it to their families to be there,” Fotis emphasized.

How Back the Badge 911 Makes a Difference

Back the Badge 911 is more than just a check-writing initiative. It’s part of a broader strategy from the National Center for Police Defense, which was founded to defend law enforcement officers facing legal and political attacks for doing their jobs.

Here’s how NCPD supports officers and families:

Legal Defense

-Offers representation and public support for officers targeted after high-profile incidents

-Funds legal costs, court fees and expert witnesses

Public Advocacy

-Counters politically motivated prosecutions

-Defends officers’ reputations through media and public relations campaigns

Financial Aid & Family Assistance

-Provides emergency relief through donations

-Supports medical bills, funeral costs and daily living expenses

Memorial Tributes

-Sponsors and participates in memorial services

-Creates keepsakes, such as challenge coins, to honor fallen officers

Their efforts are not limited to one state or region. The program is national, stepping in whenever and wherever needed.

A Community United Around Officer Derbin

Officer Jacob Derbin’s sacrifice did not go unnoticed. While Back the Badge 911 provided early relief, his community has continued to step up in powerful ways.

-The Jacob Derbin Foundation, launched by his mother, offers $1,400 scholarships to local high school and career center students—a symbolic nod to his badge number, 14. Unlike many scholarships, this one focuses on character, not just academics, rewarding those who live by Officer Derbin’s values of service and courage.

-A student-led fundraiser is underway to place a memorial stone on the grounds of Cuyahoga Heights High School, ensuring future generations remember Derbin’s sacrifice.

These initiatives serve as a testament to the kind of man Derbin was—and the deep sense of loss his death left behind.

Why Fast Support Makes All the Difference

Families of fallen officers often face a cascade of financial and logistical burdens:

-Funeral arrangements must be made quickly and often cost thousands

-Lost income creates immediate gaps in rent, mortgage and basic expenses

-Travel costs for extended family can add to the burden

-Grief support services may not be immediately available or covered by insurance

When aid from official sources is delayed, families are forced to rely on savings—or go into debt—during the most emotionally devastating time of their lives.

Back the Badge 911 was designed to eliminate that extra pain. The organization doesn’t wait for paperwork or federal confirmation. It acts, fast—because time matters.

A Call to Action for Americans Who Back the Blue

In an age where law enforcement is increasingly under political and cultural attack, many Americans are looking for real ways to show their support. Back the Badge 911 offers an outlet for that patriotism—ensuring no family of a fallen officer is left in limbo.

For those who want to do more than offer thoughts and prayers, contributing to Back the Badge 911 is one way to make a real, immediate impact.

Want to Help?

As the political climate around policing grows more contentious, organizations like Back the Badge 911 offer a way for Americans to cut through the noise and make a real difference.

“Back the Badge is for the families of those who were injured or died helping keep America safe,” Fotis adds.

For those looking to support law enforcement not just in word, but in deed, contributing to this program offers an immediate and powerful way to do so. And for the families who receive that support in their darkest hour, it can mean everything.

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(Sponsored message from the National Center for Police Defense)