NJ COP SHOT
As part of the Survivor & Welfare Fund, the NJ State PBA has established a program designed to aid in the capture and conviction of law enforcement assailants.
The program offers a $20,000 reward in exchange for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals in relation to officer shooting. The reward will be posted on behalf of any New Jersey officer, regardless of union affiliation.
NJ COP SHOT was put into place when the shooting of an officer in Paterson took days to generate a reward for information. This program provides for the reward to be instantly available, allowing law enforcement officers to generate tips that will eventually lead to an arrest.
HOW COP SHOT GOT STARTED
In the early morning hours of January 7, 2007, 23-year-old rookie Paterson Police Officer Tyron D. Franklin was placing an order at a fast food eatery in Paterson. The rookie officer was in plain clothes and off duty. He had no idea a gang member was about to rob the establishment. What transpired over the next several seconds claimed Officer Franklin’s life but inspired the creation of NJ COP SHOT. Officer Franklin fought with the attacker and was shot several times. The attacker fired two more shots after witnesses identified Officer Franklin as a police officer. The suspect fled into the darkness of the night.
The outrage in the law enforcement community was overwhelming. New Jersey State PBA President Anthony Wieners immediately reached out to the department and offered any assistance. It soon became clear that the suspect would not be caught in the first few hours. Paterson PBA and President Wieners knew there was a need for a reward for information but there was no established fund to support hunting cop killers in the State. The Paterson PBA during their darkest hour had to go out and solicit money for a reward. President Wieners said, “I could not imagine with all the resources in this State that there was not a fund ready to post a reward. I promised from that moment on we would never be unprepared to track down anyone who shot an officer in New Jersey”.