Attorney Starts Campaign To Recognize Police And Fire Fallen
During an interview, Mr. Binns said the plan was conceived by “happenstance” during a conversation he had with a Philadelphia police officer who he used to meet for coffee at a restaurant he owned at 13th and Locust streets. During one such meeting, the police officer pointed out the location, in close proximity to the restaurant, where Officer Daniel Faulkner was killed in 1981.
The murder had obtained notoriety through the years because of those who championed the cause of Faulkner’s murderer, Mumia Abu Jamal. The killer was known worldwide, yet, there was nothing to commemorate the sacrifice of the officer.
Mr. Binns believed this to be an injustice. He thought that something should be done to correct this imbalance. He developed the idea of a plaque to be placed near the southeast corner of 13th and Locust streets, the place where Officer Faulkner was killed.
Through contacts in the police department he called Maureen Faulkner, the officer’s widow. She has been active in the campaign to counteract the movement to have the killer freed. He told her what he wanted to do and she was behind the effort.
All the arrangements were made and a plaque was installed in 2001 on the twentieth anniversary of the murder. Mrs. Faulkner flew in to attend the ceremony.
“Hundreds of cops showed up too,” said Mr. Binns.
It was not quite that easy to get the program operational. As Mr. Binns said, there were many naysayers.
“There are two things that I learned that every cop in Philadelphia must know,” he said. “These are not taught in the academy. One is every cop learns to say ‘You can’t do that,’ the other is, ‘Who are you?’”
But despite the doubters, Mr. Binns implemented his idea. Today it has expanded beyond Philadelphia to include the entire metropolitan area. It not only includes police officers, but fire department personnel as well.
During the eight years since he began, 79 plaques have been dedicated in Philadelphia including 69 firefighters. The plan is for 283 police and 285 fire to be dedicated in total.
Eleven plaques have been installed in Montgomery County with 15 more planned. Three plaques have been dedicated in Chester County with nine more and one in Delaware County. Across the Delaware River, in New Jersey, eight in Atlantic City and two in Margate City, N.J. Eight will be dedicated in Camden.
He also dedicated one to a Special Agent of the FBI who was killed on Columbus Blvd. in Center City.
The program has received the cooperation of Lodge 5 of the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents the men and women of the Philadelphia Police Department. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers caters the events and members of the cement workers union install the plaques for free.
In addition to the plaque program, Mr. Binns has been an active fundraiser for law enforcement throughout the area. He has donated money to purchase equipment for various departments.
When a police officer or firefighter is killed in the line of duty it is soon forgotten by the citizens they served. John Q. Public will remember the name of the player who hit two home runs in a World Series game more readily than he will what police officer or firefighter was killed while protecting him.
During morning coffee, Mr. Binns conceived a plan to ensure that John Q. Public will remember.
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