Angels on Patrol Inc

The founder of Angels on Patrol, Lt. Jacqui MacConnell, started this organization after her squad rescued 5 year old twins and their 8 year old brother in 2003. The three boys were locked away in a room under horrible conditions, with the twins trapped in cages made from their cribs.

Lt. MacConnell still recalls seeing the boys staring with blank eyes at the officers. The twins poked their little fingers through the holes in their cages before being cut out. The severity of confinement, isolation, neglect, and abuse defned them as 'Feral Children.' There are only about 120 documented cases worldwide since the 1800's.

Once their immediate medical needs were met, the boys were placed in a wonderful foster home and were eventually adopted by their foster parents. This amazing couple took on the monumental task of raising these incredible boys. The twins are teenagers now and Luis Jr. attends NAU.

Lt. MacConnell has remianed in contact with the family throughout the years and helped them find resources whenever possible. The Viniegra family has been an inspiration to her - an inspiration that resulted in the founding of Angels on Patrol.

Officers come upon horrific scenes during their duty hours. Often they want to help beyond their official capacities, but don't have the resources to do so. That's where Angels on Patrol comes in. Officers can reach out to Angels on Patrol and ask for help for these families.

Not only will Angels on Patrol assist children and families experiencing economic crises, children in need are also helped via enrichment activities in schools. There are so many youth in our communities who are unable to participate in fantastic extra-curricular activities because their families may not have the means to help. With Angels on Patrol, School Resource Officers can also play a pivotal role in making sure many of these children can say 'yes!' when opportunity comes knocking.

Lastly, the third, and one of the most important aspects of our mission, is to help improve the perception of law enforcement in our communities. Policing with a purpose is much more than chasing after the bad guys. Ask any officer and they will tell you that the single most important factor in their decision to become a police officer is the desire to help others. At Angels on Patrol, we are happy to support our officers as they reinforce this fundamental aspect of their chosen profession. In a career where they are scorned for the uniform they wear, shot at, injured and sometimes killed for that same reason, officers persevere. Instead of becoming bitter, those same officers choose to continue to improve the lives of those that live in the communities they serve. They see past the hate; they see hope and look to the future. This defines the officers that refer families and individuals to Angels on Patrol. Those officers have changed more than 3,500 lives since AoP began accepting applications in 2009.

Won't you please consider making a donation to Angels on Patrol for #GivingTuesday? Your support will go a long way in helping our officers create safer and healthier communities.