On Thursday October 25 I had the pleasure of presenting the powerful one day seminar Celebrating the Warrior Spirit and the Heroes Behind The Badge with Randy Watt and Michael Neal. The day culminated with the viewing of the new documentary Heroes Behind the Badge. I previously had the pleasure of meeting with Bill Erfurth, a retired Miami-Dade police officer and the Executive Producer of the documentary. I had also watched the trailer and met Ryan Williams and Michael Neal who were interviewed in the video. The October 25 seminar however, was my first opportunity to view the film and I, along with everyone in attendance, was very impressed. This is a must see movie.
Here is some information on the film.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and Modern City Entertainment have teamed up to create Heroes Behind the Badge, a moving documentary about the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers serving across America.
Now available, Heroes Behind the Badge features stories about some of the brave men and women of law enforcement who have put their lives on the line and survived, as well as those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Filmed throughout the U.S., Heroes Behind the Badge highlights the lives of four fallen officers and the enormous impact their passing has had on their family members, colleagues, and community.
The film also features the stories of three officers who narrowly escaped their assailants. These living legends share their personal insights about how their near-fatal encounters have affected their lives. Produced in partnership with the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Heroes Behind the Badge also highlights National Police Week events held in Washington, DC, including the annual May 13th Candlelight Vigil and the annual National Peace Officers Memorial Day service held at the U.S. Capitol on May 15.
One of the film’s producers, Bill Erfurth, is a retired Lieutenant of the Miami-Dade Police Department and a 25-year law enforcement veteran. For Erfurth, the project is a labor of love that he believes will create awareness about what it really means to walk the thin blue line.
So why am I talking about this video on the Excellence in Training blog? Because I believe it can be a valuable addition to law enforcement training programs. This video should be part of every Citizens Police Academy. It should be part of every law enforcement recriut training program and it should be part of in-service training. The video documents the murder of law enforcement officers and the impact of that tragedy on their families and fellow officers. It also highlites the heroic efforts of officers like Ryan Williams from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Michael Neal from Arkansas Game and Fish and others. I would encourage you to get a copy of the movie and find a way to make it part of your training programs.
The documentary is now available for sale. To order your own copy of this powerful documentary go to http://www.nleomf.org/officers/heroes-behind-the-badge/. The website also has a list of dates and locations for screenings.
Take care.
Brian Willis,
Thought Leader, Speaker, Trainer, Author and president of Winning Mind Training Inc.
Training law enforcement professionals to W.I.N. through Life’s Most Powerful Question.
Make sure to sign up for the W.I.N. Newsletter. To book Brian to speak at your event contact him at winningmind@mac.com.