By Candice Wiener
The Wounded Blue is an incredible organization that I was recently introduced to through a mutual friend of mine and the founder, who also happens to be a retired police officer. Although I am just now learning about The Wounded Blue, when I sat down to chat with Randy, I realized immediately that his face is very familiar and being that in addition to him being a retired Lieutenant with over 30 years of service in law enforcement, it’s no surprise that Randy is also an actor too. Having appeared in many of the COPS episodes back in the 80’s and 90’s, he also was casted as the role of the police officer in the movie Casino. With Martin Scorsese as the Director, Randy was told when auditioning for the part to make Scorsese and DeNiro laugh, and he did just that with comical police jokes about being in law enforcement in Las Vegas and did land the part. Aside from possibly seeing him around town, he clearly has a recognizable face as an actor. During our lunch at least two people stopped to say hello and thank him for his service. He’s most definitely a local law enforcement celebrity and it makes sense that he has solidified his reputation as the “voice of American law enforcement”, in addition to his numerous appearances on FOX News, Newsmax and more.
Sutton founded The Wounded Blue as a means to support injured and disabled law enforcement officers around the nation. After suffering a stroke while on duty, Sutton’s career as a Lieutenant with LVMPD came to an unexpected end. After his heroic service for 30+ years, being responsible for saving a one-month-old baby’s life and countless other encounters while he was in law enforcement, Sutton found himself having to hire a lawyer to fight for his pension and benefits. After years of litigation, he finally won each and every hearing, but he was shocked by the lack of support that wasn’t being offered by LVMPD after his 24 years of service in LVMPD.
As the Chair of the Board of Directors of The Wounded Blue, he leads initiatives aimed at providing assistance and resources to those who have sacrificed for the safety of others. When I asked him about other resources available to officers that were injured or hurt in the line of duty, Sutton shared that when he founded The Wounded Blue, there were next to no organizations that provide support and/or assistance to officers hurt while serving on the police force. He said, “There are organizations out there if an officer is killed in the line of duty, but not much for those who are injured or disabled. To date Sutton and The Wounded Blue foundation have worked with countless injured law enforcement officials to assist them in getting the support and assistance they need to move on with their lives after both non-catastrophic and catastrophic injuries that they have sustained. With some phenomenal success stories, Sutton credits his private donors for helping him to make these realities possible for officers he and his organization help.
From prosthetic limb replacements to mental health rehabilitation, there’s no doubt Sutton’s organization is doing some really big things that will forever impact the lives of those who fought and served to protect our lives and were injured or disabled due to their braveness for doing so.
Sutton is also a prolific author, having penned numerous books that shed light on the daily realities of patrolling. His first book was about the one-month-old infant whose life he saved after she was senselessly shot in the face by gang members. Randy jumped into action, giving her mouth to mouth and says he remembers “She started to cry, and it was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard.” He then rushed her to the hospital, knowing that if he waited for an ambulance, she likely wouldn’t have made it.
Currently Sutton is in the planning phases of some incredible fundraisers to come for The Wounded Blue. He launched Guitars4Cops.com and has partnered with many GREAT Country music artists including Toby Keith, Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley, Jelly Roll, Reba McEntire and more to sign only 10 guitars each in an effort to raise money and awareness for The Wounded Blue, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting law enforcement through support, education, assistance, and legislation. Each guitar is $1000 + shipping and is personally autographed by the artists. Their last guitar promotion, partnered with Concerts 4 A Cause and Nancy Jones (widow to George Jones) and raised over $80,000 for the two officer families in Huntsville, Alabama.
In the last two years, more than 120,000 officers have been intentionally attacked in the line of duty. The Wounded Blue aids the physical and mental well-being of wounded officers across the country every day. Their Peer Support Advocacy Program is said to have been a game-changer for America’s officers. The Wounded Blue team, consisting of trained professionals who have served or currently serve in law enforcement, offers a confidential environment where officers can seek support and guidance. Handling 100 crisis calls every week, The Wounded Blue’s program is making an impact on the lives of those who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving our communities.
We are thankful to have had the opportunity to connect with Lt. Randy Sutton and are thankful for the incredible work you do for wounded law enforcement in our community and nationwide. We thank you for your service and have the utmost respect for your diligent work within The Wounded Blue non-profit organization.
How Can You Help Law Enforcement?
You can join alongside us as we continue to improve the lives of injured officers and their family members with your generous contributions.
Check out the different ways you can make an impact today!
Visit The Wounded Blue online: thewoundedblue.org and guitars4cops.com on ways that you can get involved and support the cause.
Contact The Wounded Blue: 844.892.4376
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