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John Guilfoil

Jul 25 2024

A Statement Honoring Historic Passage of Bill to Protect Violently Injured Police Officers

BOSTON — The Violently Injured Police Officers Organization (V.I.P.O.), is thrilled to announce that, after more than a decade of advocacy, the Massachusetts Legislature has today passed V.I.P.O.’s model legislation to protect the wellbeing of police officers and other first responders who are shot, attacked or otherwise violently injured in the line of duty.

The Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate approved the bill on Wednesday, July 24. The bill, Massachusetts House Bill 4746, “An Act relative to disability pensions and critical incident stress management for violent crimes,” now goes to Gov. Maura Healy’s desk.

As it currently stands, police officers who are forced to retire due to serious injuries receive only a portion of their regular pay and are often prohibited from earning extra income to make ends meet. Death benefits for police officers are typically much more substantial, creating a disincentive for officers to survive if seriously injured.

“If you die in the line of duty, your family gets a significant payout from the federal government, tax-free, along with state benefits, but if survive you get a little more than half of your previous paycheck and you’re sent home. Your living is taken away because you had the good fortunate of not dying,” said retired Somerville Police Officer Mario Oliveira, a V.I.P.O. cofounder. “In Massachusetts, a cop shot in the line of duty is worth more dead than alive, and that is wrong.”

V.I.P.O. created model legislation for states that would ensure officers who are permanently disabled as a result of violent assaults are able to receive 100 percent of their pay until they reach retirement age, as well as continued coverage from the health insurance they received as officers. The model bills also seek to remove limits on how much income permanently disabled officers are able to receive from other jobs they are still able to perform, said Jonathan Stackhouse, V.I.P.O. Secretary and current Acton Police Detective.

V.I.P.O.’s model legislation was first filed in Massachusetts in 2014.

The bill passed the Massachusetts Senate unanimously today with 40 yeas, zero nays and zero abstentions. The bill was sponsored in the house by  Rep. Jessica Giannino, Rep. Steven Xiarhos, Rep. Alan Silvia, Rep. Paul McMurtry, Rep. Mathew Muratore, Rep. Jeffrey Turco, Rep. James Arena-DeRosa, Rep. Carole Fiola, Rep. Michael Soter, Rep. Marcus Vaughn. The bill had broad bipartisan support and was sponsored by Sen. Lydia Edwards, a Democrat and supported by Republican minority leader Sen. Bruce Tarr.

“This has been a remarkable, stressful and at times frustrating journey, but it is worth it after all these years to know that no other police officer or their family will have to ensure that V.I.P.O.’s members have gone through,” Oliveira

Co-founded by former Somerville Police Officer Mario Oliveira and former Woburn Police Officer Bob DeNapoli, both of whom were forced to retire after being shot and seriously injured in violent incidents, V.I.P.O. is committed to helping to ensure that violently injured police officers across the country receive adequate compensation and support.

To learn more about the Violently Injured Police Officers Organization, visit: https://vipo911.org/.

 

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Written by John Guilfoil · Categorized: News

Dec 18 2018

*Media Advisory* Police Shot in the Line of Duty Share their Stories

Violently Injured Police Officers Organization
Detective Mario Oliveira and Officer Bob Denapoli, Co-Founders

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

*Media Advisory*

V.I.P.O. Co-founders to Host Surviving the Unthinkable Event

WOBURN — Detective Mario Oliveira and Officer Bob Denapoli, co-founders of the Violently Injured Police Officers Organization (V.I.P.O.), will share their experiences about serious line of duty injuries at a Boston event next month.

WHEN:

Tuesday, Jan 29, 2019, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE:

Seaport World Trade Center Amphitheater

WHAT:

Detective Oliveira (Somerville Police Department, retired) and Officer Denapoli (Woburn Police Department, retired), both of whom were severely injured in the line of duty, will talk about their experiences and struggles following their injuries. They will also discuss the policies and procedures they feel need to be in place to protect members of law enforcement who are injured and unable to continue working.

The event is free and open to law enforcement only. Register by completing this form and faxing it to the number listed on the form.

The event is sponsored by V.I.P.O., the Massachusetts Major City Chiefs of Police Association, the Middlesex County Chiefs of Police Association, the Massachusetts State Police and the New England State Police Information Network.

Members of the media may RSVP for the event or arrange interviews by contacting John Guilfoil by emailing john@jgpr.net or calling 617-993-0003.

About V.I.P.O.:
The Violently Injured Police Officers (V.I.P.O.) Organization, founded by Massachusetts police officers, is a support group for law enforcement officers who have sustained serious, permanent injuries during a violent encounter in the line of duty.

V.I.P.O. is a recognized nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

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Written by John Guilfoil · Categorized: News

Sep 24 2018

*Media Advisory* V.I.P.O. Co-founders to Host Surviving the Unthinkable Event

Violently Injured Police Officers Organization
Detective Mario Oliveira and Officer Bob Denapoli, Co-Founders

For Immediate Release

Monday, Sept. 24, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

*Media Advisory*

V.I.P.O. Co-founders to Host Surviving the Unthinkable Event

WOBURN — Detective Mario Oliveira and Officer Bob Denapoli, co-founders of the Violently Injured Police Officers Organization (V.I.P.O.), will share their experiences about serious line of duty injuries at an event in November.

WHEN:

Thursday, Nov. 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

WHERE:

Becker College, 964 Main St., Leicester

WHAT:

Detective Oliveira (Somerville Police Department, retired) and Officer Denapoli (Woburn Police Department, retired), both of whom were severely injured in the line of duty, will talk about their experiences and struggles following their injuries and the policies and procedures they feel need to be in place to protect members of law enforcement who are injured and unable to continue working.

Worcester Police Sgt. Shawn Barbale will discuss police response to officer involved shootings, the role of supervisors and officers at the scene and policy considerations.

The event is free and open to the public. Register by completing this form and faxing it to the number listed on the form.

About V.I.P.O.:
The Violently Injured Police Officers (V.I.P.O.) Organization, founded by Massachusetts police officers, is a support group for law enforcement officers who have sustained serious, permanent injuries during a violent encounter in the line of duty.

V.I.P.O. is a recognized nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

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Written by John Guilfoil · Categorized: Upcoming Events · Tagged: event, line of duty injuries, V.I.P.O., Violently Injured Police Officers Organization

Jun 05 2017

VIPO to Present at FBINAA New England Day Trainer: Preparing for the Aftermath

Mario Oliveira and Robert DiNapoli will discuss the “Physical and Emotional tool of a career ending injury” during the FBINAA “Preparing for the Aftermath” event June 12-13 in Warwick, R.I.

See the flyer for details!

Written by John Guilfoil · Categorized: News

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