SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN)– The moment an officer may be injured in the line of duty, the Police Wives of Ohio jump into action.
“The last thing anyone wants to hear is that their loved one is in danger or killed and find out on a social media page,” said Police Wives of Ohio Dayton & Miami Valley Chapter Media Coordinator Jessica Olson.
Several Clark County sheriff’s deputy routes are now lined with these blue ribbon bows, a sign of strength and support as the law enforcement community grieves the loss of who many are saying was a great man, father, and friend, Deputy Matthew Yates.
The Police Wives of Ohio’s Dayton and Miami Valley Chapter is sending a message to all law enforcement families with blue bows filling downtown Springfield. The bows are for everyone to see, but these bows are specifically for law enforcement driving through town.
“We want the officers to know we are thinking of them right now, we’re putting them around the sheriff’s office and here where his cruiser is. We’re going down to the East District Office too, the idea is when they’re coming in and out, they’re going to see someone is thinking of them,” said Olson.
Care packages, memorial flowers, and specific family needs are all organized through each individual chapter. Deputy Yates’ life was tragically cut short, but his story will never end in Clark County.
“It’s immediate right now but this is a lifelong thing. Somebody has lost their loved one, partner, father, this is not something that goes away,” said Olson. “Long after the funeral, long after these bows are down, they’re going to feel that pain and we’ll be there for them.”
For a link to The Police Wives of Ohio’s Facebook Page, click here.
