Description
Our story begins back in 2003 when a squad of Phoenix police officers discovered the unthinkable.....children locked in cages. The then 5-year old twins, Edgar and Edmundo, had been caged their entire lives and their 8-year old brother Luis, shared their room. Thankfully, the boys were adopted by their amazing foster family and kept together. Through the years, our president and founder Lt. Jacqui MacConnel,l has stayed involved with the boy’s lives and knows the challenges the boys have faced throughout the years. There are times she has helped the family out when she was able and thus she understands how many officers are compelled to help children and families after the initial crisis has passed.
The goal of Angels on Patrol is to help other officers help other families and children that they come across in the line of duty. It is with this goal in mind that Jacqui MacConnell, along with a small group like-minded individuals, founded Angels on Patrol in 2009.
Our mission is two-fold. We strive to provide crisis assistance and/or financial assistance with enrichment activities to children and/or families identified to us by Phoenix and Tempe police officers. We also work towards building a more positive perception of police officers in the communities they serve. Often the children and families we assist live in communities where law enforcement is primarily viewed as the enforcer. After working with officers and Angels on Patrol, many of these families find their attitudes towards officers have changed because they have been able to see the officer through a different lens. A vantage point that reveals the compassion and concern of our officers and truly showcases the concept of 'policing with a purpose.'
In 2012, Angels on Patrol served 418 individuals, 359 children and 59 adults. We assisted children and families experiencing a wide range of crisis and challenges from the death of a child, the death of a parent, victims of violent crimes and children longing to participate in enrichment activities but whose families/caregivers do not have the funds. We have purchased new running shoes for a track team coached by their school resource officer. We have bought beds for grandparents who suddenly become the caregivers for their grandchildren and we have purchased toys for a little girl who had to leave everything behind in the house of horrors that had become her home. These are just a few examples of the variety of assistance we can provide.
None of the interactions would be possible however without the heart and soul of our organization, the police officers who reach out to us. They are the ones who look beyond the immediate. They are the ones that choose not to look away and forget. Now they know they have a place to turn--Angels on Patrol. No longer do they have to go home wishing they could have done more. With your help, we can continue to assist officers in putting their whole heart into the communities they serve. Touching the lives of children and families, making an impact and changing the future of our communities.
