To honor the life of Concord Police Officer Jason Shuping the Concord City Council recently approved a $100,000 budget amendment to fund a new Fallen Officer Memorial. The City also filed necessary state and federal paperwork to establish a new nonprofit Concord Police Foundation to assist officers who are injured or killed in the line of duty and their families.
On December 16, 2020, Officer Jason Shuping was killed in the line of duty while responding to a call about a crash and possible vehicle theft. Officer Kaleb Robinson was also injured while responding to the same call. Officer Shuping was with the Concord Police Department for 1.5 years before making the ultimate sacrifice in service to his community. In the days immediately following his tragic death, the Concord City Council, City Leadership, and community came together to honor Officer Shuping and support the friends and family he left behind:
- Public donations to honor Officer Shuping and Officer Robinson established through NC Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 64 on December 17, 2020
- Candlelight Vigil and Chalk the Walk in Memory service held at Concord Police Headquarters on December 18, 2020
- Public funeral service with full honors held on December 22, 2020
- Officer Shuping’s Unit #4434 officially retired within Concord Police Department on December 22, 2020
The Concord City Council and City Leadership are continuing their promise to “Never Forget” the service and sacrifice of Officer Shuping and all fallen officers through several additional initiatives:
- On February 10, 2021, the Concord Police Department held a debrief meeting with every sworn law enforcement officer to learn the details of the events surrounding Officer Shuping’s death.
- On February 11, 2021 City Council approved $100,000 budget amendment to design, construct, and install a new Fallen Officer Memorial. The new memorial will offer a place for current and former law enforcement, their families, and the community to remember, reflect upon, and honor those who have sacrificed their lives in service to their community. The planned memorial will be a permanent fixture outside of Police Headquarters. It will feature a bronze statue of a peace officer, surrounded by columns with blue lighting, and a plaque engraved with Officer Shuping’s likeness, name, and End of Watch date.
- The City filed necessary state and federal paperwork to establish a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit - the Concord Police Foundation. The Foundation will provide a variety of support to law enforcement officers and their families, including financial assistance for officers seriously injured or killed in the line of duty; assistance for education-related expenses like tuition and textbooks; and health and wellness support to offset out of pocket expenses for counseling or therapy.
- City Council and City Leadership also support efforts to rename the bridge over I-85 at Bruton Smith Blvd after Officer Shuping.
- Concord PD approved travel to Washington, DC for several employees to attend National Police Week services, including the Candle Light Vigil where Officer Shuping will be included in a national roll call of names being engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
- Beginning next month, all marked Concord Police vehicles will display a magnet on the rear featuring the Thin Blue Line flag, and a blue and black ribbon with Officer Shuping’s name, Unit Number, and End of Watch date. The magnets are anticipated to be placed on vehicles by March 1, and will remain on the vehicles through the first anniversary of Officer Shuping’s line of duty death on December 16, 2021. Following this, every year during National Police Week, the magnets will be reaffixed to marked police vehicles. This will serve as a visual reminder of Officer Shuping’s sacrifice to citizens throughout the community.
While the creation of the new Fallen Officer Memorial, Concord Police Foundation, and efforts to rename the I-85/Bruton Smith Blvd bridge after Officer Shuping will forever memorialize his life and service, no measure can ever repay the debt the community owes to him and his family for the ultimate sacrifice he made to keep Concord safe and protect his fellow citizens. The City of Concord is forever grateful and will never forget.
