The Harford County Deputy Sheriff's Union announced Monday that at the request of the families of the two deputies who were shot to death earlier this year, all future donations to its benevolent fund will be used to assist others who may be in similar circumstances, unless donors specifically request that their gifts benefit the slain deputies families.
According to the union, an estimated $750,000 has been received from various fund-raising activities around Harford County and beyond, as well as from individual, institutional and organizational donors, for the benefit of the families of Senior Deputy Patrick Dailey and Deputy First Class Mark Logsdon. The two deputies were shot to death in Abingdon on Feb. 10 by a man with an outstanding warrant, who was later fatally shot by other deputies.
Senior Deputy Dailey and Deputy First Class Lodgsdon were the first Sheriff's Office personnel slain in the line of duty since 1899.
In a joint statement issued through the union Monday, Jennifer Logsdon, DFC Logsdon's widow, and Bryan and Tyler Daily, Senior Deputy Dailey's sons, said:
"What we all experienced through this horrible tragedy is everything that is wonderful about the human spirit. Our families have been overwhelmed by the goodness and support of many, even those we didn't know, but who deeply cared. We would not be in the same place we are without the greater community coming together to hold us up during this most difficult time – we are eternally grateful." They add, "It is in this spirit that we respectfully request folks to continue to give, but do so directly to the HCDSU Benevolent Fund. Our sincere hope is to build a reserve so others facing severe hardship will benefit as we have."
"Everyone at the Harford County Deputy Sheriff's Benevolent Fund is in awe of the profound support from Maryland's communities," Fred Visnaw, president of the Harford County Deputy Sheriff's Union Benevolent Fund said. "We are deeply grateful that the families of the two deputies were able to receive so much assistance during their time of need, and that the children of our fallen heroes will be supported for years to come."
According to the union, all donations received by the Harford County Deputy Sheriff's Benevolent Fund since February have been automatically donated to the Dailey and Logsdon families to financially assist them during their time of need.
At the families' request and effective immediately, the HCDS Benevolent Fund will cease automatic donations to these two families and resume allocating donations to future financial need on the part of local police, firefighters and EMS personnel and their families, the union explained in a news release. Donors who wish to directly support the Dailey and Logsdon families after Monday will be able to do so by clearly indicating so in the optional comments section of a PayPal donation or in the envelope of a mailed donation to the HCDS Benevolent Fund.
The HCDS Benevolent Fund also is planning to open a retail storefront in downtown Bel Air later this year, with all proceeds from merchandise sales going to benefit the fund, the union said.
During the interim, individuals who wish to contribute to the HCDS Benevolent Fund can donate online or mail donations directly to the interim, individuals who wish to contribute to the HCDS Benevolent Fund can donate online at www.hcdsu.org/benevolent-fund or mail donations directly to: Harford County Deputy Sheriff's Benevolent Fund, P.O. Box 881, Bel Air, MD 21014.