At approximately 12:30 AM on 07/05/2017, NYPD PO M. Familia was ambushed and gunned down while she sat in her marked mobile command post.
As is always the case, line of duty deaths are felt by the entire law enforcement community and the membership of Brothers Before Others. The very foundation of BBO is the ‘Flower Fund’, established to ensure that a flower arrangement is sent on behalf of the members of BBO to every line of duty death; regardless of where they occur in the country. What is often lost in incidents such as a line of duty death, is the fact that not everyone has the same support structure in place. More than symbolism, the floral arrangements sent on behalf of the BBO membership are an outward sign to the families left behind that, even when you think no one is thinking about you or that no one cares, we ARE thinking about you and we DO care.
To date, BBO has sent nearly 1,000 flower arrangements, with the cost being funded directly from the pockets of our members.
As is always the case, BBO founder Michael Burke makes it a point to reach out to the police officers who are struggling with the loss; in this case, the NYPD officers assigned to the 46th Pct. As the saying goes: no one takes care of a police officer and their families like police officers and their families.
As such, Michael ensured that a contingency of BBO members accompanied him to the 46th Pct so that shirts, hats, flags and emotional support could be delivered to the members of PO Familia’s blue family.
Hero King, located in Nutley, NJ, even provided several 6 foot sandwiches and accompanying salads which were hand delivered to the Pct and their cops. As huge supporters of law enforcement, for them, this was a no-brainer as well.
BBO members from as far as Philadelphia traveled to the Bronx in support of the NYPD family. Philadelphia Police Officer’s Damien Stevenson and Daniel Stevens are all too familiar with the personal pain associated with a line of duty loss. Both officer’s were close friends with Philadelphia Police Officer Robert Wilson III who, in 2015, was assassinated after interrupting a robbery in progress. In fact, Damien was Robert’s partner. As such, both men felt that it was important that they show their support for those who were now enduring the same heartache.
Michael Burke and the members of Brothers Before Others wanted to take this opportunity to, once again, extend our heart felt regret over the loss of PO M Familia and to remind the members of both her kin family and her blue family that they are in our thoughts.
https://www.odmp.org/officer/23305-detective-miosotis-p-familia
For more Information on Hero King: