Concerns of Police Survivors
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PROVIDES RESOURCES TO ASSIST IN THE REBUILDING OF THE LIVES OF SURVIVING FAMILIES AND CO-WORKERS AFFECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE-OF-DUTY AS DETERMINED BY FEDERAL CRITERIA. PROVIDES TRAINING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ON SURVIVOR VICTIMIZATION ISSUES AND EDUCATES THE PUBLIC OF THE NEED TO SUPPORT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSION AND ITS SURVIVORS.
- Income
- $7.4 million
- Spending
- $7.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 17.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 35%
- Employees
- 32
- Volunteers
- 290
- Highest pay
- $186,491, executive dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 17.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 22% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $4.8 million spent. PROGRAMS:Grief Seminars are held throughout the year for all law enforcement survivors across the United States. In May of each year during the National Police Survivors' Conference held in Washington, DC, during National Police Week, survivors can attend a number of different seminars on grief issues. Approximately 4,959 police survivors and affected coworkers registered for C.O.P.S. seminars. Debriefings, one-on-one counseling, family counseling and crisis intervention sessions were held for the adult survivors. The children participate in their own peer-support group sessions and work with counselors and trauma specialists to address their individual grief issues. C.O.P.S. provides survivor specific weekends/camps, known as "Hands-On Programs". They are C.O.P.S. Kids Camp, Outward Bound Adventure, Young Adults Camp, Adult Children, Spouses, Spouses for Couples, Parents, Sibling, Co-workers, Co-workers for Couples, Fianc/Significant Other, Extended Family Retreats, Summer Suicide Survivors Retreat and Fall Suicide Survivors Retreat. These weekends/camps are held at rural locations around the country. The survivors experience self-help challenge activities as well as meeting and networking with peers who have experienced the same type of loss. All of the weekends/camps have licensed mental health professionals that provide group and individual grief counseling for the survivors. The weekends/camps held during 2025-26 had 1,890 survivors in attendance. Survivors return time and time again to C.O.P.S.' programs for support. The first time they attend, they say it is because the event honors their fallen officer. The second time they attend a C.O.P.S. event, they do it for their own mental well-being. After that, they come to provide support to the more newly-bereaved families. However, survivors have also returned years later when they realize issues with the death have never been emotionally resolved, the perpetrator may be coming up for parole or another life experience has brought the horror of the death back to the forefront of their thoughts.Public Safety Agency Assistance is accomplished in a number of different ways. Each year C.O.P.S. holds a series of training sessions titled The Traumas of Law Enforcement. These trainings educate America's law enforcement agencies on appropriate responses to officer death and appropriate care for law enforcement families affected by line-of-duty death, disability, post-traumatic stress disorder and police suicide. In the 2025-26 fiscal year, these 3-day trainings were held in St. Louis, MO; Chandler, AZ; Billings, MT; Baltimore, MD; Dearborn, MI; Golden, CO; North Dartmouth, MA; Miami, FL; and Biloxi, MS. C.O.P.S. contracts with leaders in the field of police trauma to conduct the sessions. The resource manual, PowerPoint presentations and entire training have been highly praised by training participants year after year. In the 30 years that C.O.P.S. has been sponsoring these trainings, 230 sessions have been held.C.O.P.S. held its 11th annual National Conference on Law Enforcement Wellness & Trauma. This Conference had sessions with topics on suicide awareness and prevention, tactical self-care for first responders, creating a peer support program for officers, LAWS-Leadership, Accountability, Wellness, and Service, mental health awareness, navigating family life in law enforcement. This conference on Wellness and Trauma was well received with a total of 745 participants from across the country.C.O.P.S. held its 2nd annual Surviving to Thriving Conference. The conference had sessions with topics on navigating grief, self-care, conflict management and building strong relationships. This conference had 82 participants from across the country. C.O.P.S. also produces a monthly Rap Sheet newsletter for law enforcement. This newsletter is emailed to over 38,000 law enforcement officers and agencies across the United States. C.O.P.S. provides printed educational materials to law enforcement agencies and officials to help them develop a policy within their departments on handling a line-of-duty death. Some of the educational materials include topics on support at the hospital, assistance during the wake and funeral and assistance with benefits. C.O.P.S. also continued to distribute a QuickSeries Pocket Guide that was developed for law enforcement. These small booklets are designed to provide quick reference to law enforcement departments that suffer a line-of-duty death. The booklets are distributed upon request from the National Office, through the C.O.P.S. Chapters and at law enforcement conferences. Members of the C.O.P.S. Board and staff regularly attend key law enforcement conferences around the country in order to educate law enforcement personnel and related organizations about the services C.O.P.S. provides to survivors and law enforcement agencies. C.O.P.S. may also offer presentations specifically designed to help them prepare to respond to a line-of-duty death. Attending these conferences also provides important inroads toward providing services to agencies and ultimately to surviving law enforcement families and co-workers.C.O.P.S. has partnered with the Public Safety Officers Benefits (PSOB) Program at the Department of Justice to train sworn and retired law enforcement officers to serve as resources to agencies filing a PSOB Death Claim following a line-of-duty death. Currently C.O.P.S. works with these PSOB Benefits Liaisons to cover every state, reaching out to all agencies experiencing a line-of-duty death.
- $1.3 million spent. PEER SUPPORT & BENEFITS:Peer support and survivor benefits and outreach is provided through the 53 C.O.P.S. Chapters in operation across the country. These Chapters are comprised completely of volunteers who provide an immediate response to survivors when an officer dies in the line-of-duty. Support meetings and events are offered throughout the year.C.O.P.S. also publishes a printed newsletter three times a year that is mailed or emailed to approximately 78,000 survivors and law enforcement personnel each quarter. This newsletter provides important information on upcoming C.O.P.S. events, highlights chapter and survivor accomplishments and shares information important to law enforcement survivors. A monthly email newsletter is also sent from our office covering events, hands-on program registration and scholarship information and deadline, and other information relevant to the lives of law enforcement survivors. Additionally, C.O.P.S. continued to distribute a QuickSeries Pocket Guide that we developed for law enforcement families and co-workers affected by a line of duty death. This guide provides information on understanding grief and trauma, coping strategies and general information on the many benefits available, such as PSOB benefits, and financial, educational, counseling and support programs. These booklets are sent to survivors from the National Office and are made available to all chapters to distribute when they respond to a line of duty death. Financial assistance is provided by Concerns of Police Survivors to survivors of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty who wish to pursue a course of study beyond high school. Surviving children and spouses of law enforcement officers killed in the line-of-duty are eligible for C.O.P.S. scholarships if the survivor is not entitled to a tuition-free education as a state death benefit. In addition to the C.O.P.S. Kids/Teens program during the National Police Survivors' Conference, the C.O.P.S. Kids Camp, Outward Bound and the Young Adults Camp offered each year, C.O.P.S. also offers financial assistance to dependent-aged children who need psychological counseling to help them cope with the trauma inflicted on them through the sudden, often violent, loss of their parent to the law enforcement profession. PEER SUPPORT & BENEFITS:Peer support and survivor benefits and outreach is provided through the 54 C.O.P.S. Chapters in operation across the country. These Chapters are comprised completely of volunteers who provide an immediate response to survivors when an officer dies in the line-of-duty. Support meetings and events are offered throughout the year.C.O.P.S. also publishes a printed newsletter three times a year that is mailed or emailed to approximately 75,000 survivors and law enforcement personnel each quarter. This newsletter provides important information on upcoming C.O.P.S. events, highlights chapter and survivor accomplishments and shares information important to law enforcement survivors. A monthly email newsletter is also sent from our office covering events, hands-on program registration and scholarship information and deadline, and other information relevant to the lives of law enforcement survivors. Additionally, C.O.P.S. continued to distribute a QuickSeries Pocket Guide that we developed for law enforcement families and co-workers affected by a line of duty death. This guide provides information on understanding grief and trauma, coping strategies and general information on the many benefits available, such as PSOB benefits, and financial, educational, counseling and support programs. These booklets are sent to survivors from the National Office and are made available to all chapters to distribute when they respond to a line of duty death. Financial assistance is provided by Concerns of Police Survivors to survivors of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty who wish to pursue a course of study beyond high school. Surviving children and spouses of law enforcement officers killed in the line-of-duty are eligible for C.O.P.S. scholarships if the survivor is not entitled to a tuition-free education as a state death benefit. In addition to the C.O.P.S. Kids/Teens program during the National Police Survivors' Conference, the C.O.P.S. Kids Camp, Outward Bound and the Young Adults Camp offered each year, C.O.P.S. also offers financial assistance to dependent-aged children who need psychological counseling to help them cope with the trauma inflicted on them through the sudden, often violent, loss of their parent to the law enforcement profession.
- $686,249 spent. PUBLIC RELATIONS & OUTREACH:Public education and awareness is accomplished in part each year during National Police Week, when C.O.P.S. promotes blue ribbons to display in prominent places as a reminder to the public that many law enforcement officers have paid the ultimate price and given their lives in the line-of-duty. It is also to honor those officers who serve and protect our communities every day, putting their lives on the line for us. C.O.P.S. also works to educate the public on law enforcement trauma issues through the use of billboards and PSAs during the year. On January 9, 2026, C.O.P.S. and partnering organizations in support of law enforcement officers nationwide promoted the 11th annual National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.) Our nations citizens were called to action in support of law enforcement. Those citizens who appreciate law enforcement and were discouraged about the negative attention given to law enforcement were encouraged to take time on January 9th, to show their support in various ways. Events were held across the country, including rallies, card-making by school children, food deliveries to law enforcement and many other ways. C.O.P.S. continues with its effort to educate the general public about the organization, its goals and the issues that C.O.P.S. addresses for survivors. Issues such as cop-killer paroles and the number of officers who die in the line-of-duty are all information that each and every citizen in this country should know. Every Christmas holiday season C.O.P.S. continues to promote the Project Blue Light campaign, asking citizens, law enforcement families and survivors to shine blue lights in their residence windows to salute the officers who work the streets during the holidays and to remember the families whose officers made the supreme sacrifice. In January 2019, C.O.P.S. started promoting an annual National Blood Drive held across the nation during the month of January. C.O.P.S. National Office and chapters from all over the country participated in this annual event.Another form of awareness and outreach is accomplished through C.O.P.S. branded merchandise. By having law enforcement officers and survivors wearing items with the C.O.P.S. brand, we have greater name recognition and law enforcement agencies and survivors are more likely to seek our assistance. PUBLIC RELATIONS & OUTREACH:Public education and awareness is accomplished in part each year during National Police Week, when C.O.P.S. promotes blue ribbons to display in prominent places as a reminder to the public that many law enforcement officers have paid the ultimate price and given their lives in the line-of-duty. It is also to honor those officers who serve and protect our communities every day, putting their lives on the line for us. C.O.P.S. also works to educate the public on law enforcement trauma issues through the use of billboards and PSAs during the year. On January 9, 2025, C.O.P.S. and partnering organizations in support of law enforcement officers nationwide promoted the 10th annual National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day L.E.A.D.) Our nations citizens were called to action in support of law enforcement. Those citizens who appreciate law enforcement and were discouraged about the negative attention given to law enforcement were encouraged to take time on January 9th, to show their support in various ways. Events were held across the country, including rallies, card-making by school children, food deliveries to law enforcement and many other ways. C.O.P.S. continues with its effort to educate the general public about the organization, its goals and the issues that C.O.P.S. addresses for survivors. Issues such as cop-killer paroles and the number of officers who die in the line-of-duty are all information that each and every citizen in this country should know. Every Christmas holiday season C.O.P.S. continues to promote the Project Blue Light campaign, asking citizens, law enforcement families and survivors to shine blue lights in their residence windows to salute the officers who work the streets during the holidays and to remember the families whose officers made the supreme sacrifice. In January 2019, C.O.P.S. started promoting an annual National Blood Drive held across the nation during the month of January. C.O.P.S. National Office and chapters from all over the country participated in this annual event.Another form of awareness and outreach is accomplished through C.O.P.S. branded merchandise. By having law enforcement officers and survivors wearing items with the C.O.P.S. brand, we have greater name recognition and law enforcement agencies and survivors are more likely to seek our assistance.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2026.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1984.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.