May is Fallen First Responders Awareness Month
MADD’s relationship with local, regional, state, and federal law enforcement communities is critical to MADD’s mission. Officers keep our roadways safe. They put themselves in danger daily – and some pay the ultimate price. Forty-four percent of the officers killed in the line of duty were killed in traffic crashes. That is why MADD supports these heroes who keep our roads safe.
The Texas LODD Task Force and Governor Greg Abbott has dedicated May as Fallen First Responder Awareness Month. This is a rallying point for the public service community, their families, and the families of the fallen to come and support those who have given their lives in the line of duty.
The law enforcement community and our law enforcement heroes need our support now more than ever. Honoring them during National Police Week and Fallen First Responders Awareness Month is a time to remember their fallen comrades, is an appropriate way for MADD to show its support.
It is our hope that together we can garner thousands of citizens, public servants, survivors, families and advocates throughout Texas to join together to spread support and to remember the fallen by showing acts of kindness to fire, police, and EMS, reaching out to the injured and the fallen, and talking to friends and family about those who have given so much.
We remember MADD Hero Deputy Jennifer Lauren Chavis of Harris County Precinct #7. Deputy Chavis lost her life on April 2, 2022, in a fatal crash on the Sam Houston Toll Way in Houston Texas.
While on duty, Deputy Chavis received a call that a possible impaired driver was headed in her direction. She pulled off the side of the road to wait for the truck. The truck that she was waiting on struck the back of her vehicle causing it to burst into flames.
Jennifer was born May 4, 1989. During her very short life she was an athlete at Liberty High School in Ames Texas. After graduation Jennifer served in the United States Army for six years as a 42-Alpha. She served in Germany, several African nations and completed a tour in the Middle East.
After serving in the military, Jennifer enrolled in college to pursue her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice while working full-time with the Texas Veterans Commission. She was a strong advocate for disabled veterans in her professional and personal life. She even established a non-profit to help veterans defray cost associated with adopting and training service animals.
Jennifer graduated from University of Houston Downtown with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and went on to receive her Master of Administration of Justice from Texas Southern University. She was pursuing her Ph.D.
The thing that was most important to Jennifer was being with family. Every spare moment was spent with her boys looking to make memories as they went on all kind of adventures.
She gave her all as she served her family, her community, our city, state and our country.
Thank you Jennifer Chavis for serving.