Thin Blue Line Ride this Saturday! Register or Donate Today!

3rd Annual Thin Blue Line Ride
* Saturday, April 2, 2011 *

'The Thin Blue Line Ride' was created by The Forever Blue Foundation and The April Five Organization to assist sworn officers of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department who have sustained injuries in the line of duty and to help the families of law enforcement officers who have lost a loved one in the line of duty.

The Forever Blue Foundation and The April Five Organization have partnered with Harley Davidson of Charlotte to raise funds for the families of fallen officers and officers injured in the line of duty. Not only are you honoring these heroes by riding with us, you are supporting all the men and women in uniform who protect and serve each one of us on a daily basis.

*If you can't participate... Grab your family, friends, neighbors and flags to stand by the road and show your support of the riders and our men and women in blue! * (Click here to view Route)

I hope to see you there!!!

Injured CMPD Officers "Treated like Garbage..."

The April Five Organization organized a press conference this morning to make citizens aware of how injured CMPD Officers are treated like "garbage." Actually, the same goes for any city worker but police officers should especially not have to worry about medical bills for an injury they sustained on the job.

News Reports: WBTV, WCNC, News 14 Carolina

* Click here to e-mail our elected officials & others who can help!

The April Five Organization

An important organization in Charlotte that I strongly suggest you support is The April Five Organization. Please do your part to help injured CMPD Officers!

The April Five Organization was founded in January by CMPD Officer Kayvan Hazrati and his wife Heidi. Officer Hazrati was shot in the head by a criminal while serving a warrant on April 6, 2006. He survived the attack but continues to suffer from chronic pain and other injures he suffered during the shooting.

April Five's VISION:
April Five will assist officers after an injury in the line of duty. We will facilitate the obtaining and sharing information regarding disability and workers’ compensation. We strive to support sworn CMPD officers in need due to an injury through emotional, material and financial ways. We will also simplify life for these officers through our volunteer work and support systems.

April Five’s volunteers will help recovering officers with:

• Household chores
• Financial assistance with medical bills, personal expenses and lost wages
• Pro-bono services and medical/legal contacts
• A place to meet others who have been through a similar situation and share your experiences

SUPPORT APRIL FIVE:

There are many ways you can assist the organization and the officers in need. We hope you consider joining our volunteer force and give back to these officers who have given so much for us.

• Volunteer – These people are needed for grocery shopping, yard work, pet care, cleaning, food preparation, rides to the doctor, errands and whatever else an officer or their family could use to make life a bit easier.
• Pro-Bono Services – Can you donate your time and your talent to us? We are in need of professionals to either give their services at no cost or a discounted rate to the organization. We are looking for therapists, doctors, lawyers, financial planners, insurance information assistance and a multitude of other services to help the officers in need. If you can give other services or material donations to help the organization, we want to hear from you as well.
• Sub-Committee Members – These individuals will assist the board in executing their duties. This involves everything from event planning and execution to data entry. We will be posting needs here in the future for vacancies that need to be filled. All volunteers are subject to a background check and application for service.
• Donate - Your tax deductible donation can be mailed to: Great Balls of Fire Inc. c/o W.D. Graham, 3500-400 Latrobe Drive, Charlotte, NC 28205 *Make sure you write "Kayvan – A5" in the memo area*

My Nomination for America's Most Wanted 'All-Star' Contest

America's Most Wanted is currently holding an 'All-Star' contest to award Law Enforcement Officers, Fire Fighters, EMT's, etc., who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. I submitted an All-Star nomination for CMPD Officer Kayvan Hazrati.

After I attended the NC -v- Ellerbe trial and heard the details of what happened the day Officer Kayvan Hazrati was shot, I learned the real meaning of 'hero.' Many of the Officers who were there that day are heroes but thankfully they were able to walk away physically unharmed. Officer Hazrati did not.

I heard from AMW the following day and was told the Producers needed to review the nomination because the 'heroism' was supposed to have occurred in 2007, and Ofc. Hazrati was shot in 2006. Today, I got the bad news... the Producers declined to accept the nomination.

Even though you won't see it on AMW, I would like to share my submission with you.

"Why is this person an All-Star?"
On April 5th, 2006, Officer Kayvan Hazrati was working with the VCAT (Violent Criminal Apprehension Team) when he was shot in the head while serving a warrant on Christopher Ellerbe, a rape suspect wanted in South Carolina.

Christopher Ellerbe wouldn’t come out of his brother’s home and police were unable to make contact with him by phone. The VCAT team covered all the doors in the home in an attempt to make verbal contact with Ellerbe and coax him out of the home or catch him if he tried to escape. Officer Hazrati was covering a side door as several other Officers went to the back door in an attempt to communicate with the suspect.

When Officers announced themselves at the back door, Christopher Ellerbe fired shots at them and they ran for cover. When Officer Hazrati heard shots being fired at his fellow officers, he attempted to enter the residence from the side door. As Officer Hazrati tried to break through the side door, Christopher Ellerbe shot him in the head.

No doubt, Officer Kayvan Hazrati is a hero! He was shot in the line of duty trying to protect his fellow Officers and it is a miracle he survived the attack! Officer Hazrati suffered severe brain damage as a result of the gunshot wound and suffers from severe pain 24/7.

Since his injury, Officer Hazrati has refused to give up and has gone through an astounding amount of various therapies to get to where he is today! Sadly, he still suffers from constant pain and fatigue but has made tremendous strides in so many other ways.

Last month, Officer Hazrati faced the man who shot him in court. The Defendant, Christopher Ellerbe, represented himself in the courtroom and questioned Officer Hazrati for nearly two hours. Despite his pain and other effects from his injuries, Officer Hazrati took the stand and remained strong and professional throughout the whole trial. Christopher Ellerbe was found guilty on all charges and was sentenced to 66 years in prison.

Unfortunately, Officer Hazrati will serve a life sentence of pain and will have to deal with the permanent effects of his brain injury.

Although Officer Hazrati and his wife Heidi have suffered so much and continue to deal with the effects of his injury, they want to help other people! The Hazrati’s have started The April Five Organization, a non-profit organization to help Officers who have been injured in the line of duty. I believe Officer Hazrati deserves an AMW All-Star nomination as he is a hero in so many ways!

** Some good news... Injured Burke County Sheriff Deputy Martin Lawing is a finalist after he won last week's All-Star contest! Let's hope he wins!!