BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – When law enforcement officers respond to active shooter situations, major crashes, natural disasters or other emergencies, having the right medical equipment can mean the difference between life and death.
This is the mission behind COPS Direct, a nonprofit organization that provides lifesaving medical gear to law enforcement agencies, first responders and volunteers across Texas and the country.
Founded in 2016 by Aaron Negherbon, COPS Direct works to ensure officers have access to critical medical equipment — especially when agencies may face budget limitations or outdated supplies.
“Our mission is to enable cops to save lives, whether it’s a civilian life or a fellow officer’s life when bad things happen,” Negherbon said.
KSAT recently met with Negherbon at The Ranch, a tactical training facility near Dilley, where he discussed the organization’s efforts to prepare officers for emergencies before disaster strikes.
“We need to be prepared for when the next thing happens as opposed to talking about it after the fact,” Negherbon said. “When cops know that they’ve got the stuff they need to do it, that really empowers them to do more than just wield a gun and a baton.”
The organization provides equipment ranging from mass casualty response kits to trauma bags and tourniquets. Agencies in need can contact COPS Direct for assistance when funding shortfalls prevent them from purchasing equipment on their own.
Negherbon said helping Texas agencies remains a top priority.
“When a Texas agency calls, everything else stops. We make sure that one gets covered,” Negherbon said. “We just did the Bexar County SWAT team because they had no medical equipment with their teams. We outfitted all the SWAT operators with mass casualty stuff.”
One of the nonprofit’s most widely distributed tools is a medical response bag designed to help officers treat multiple victims before paramedics arrive.
“That bag there can literally enable a law enforcement officer to save 16 lives in one bag just by virtue of its contents,” Negherbon said.
The organization has also supplied tourniquets and other emergency medical equipment during disaster recovery efforts.
Following last year’s devastating Fourth of July floods, COPS Direct provided supplies to volunteers assisting with cleanup and recovery operations in the Hill Country.
“Because there were all these people out volunteering and helping and they were using chainsaws to cut through lumber and terrain,” Negherbon said. “The chainsaws were kicking back, and volunteers were getting wounded. It was like, ‘We need tourniquets,’ so that was another thing we were sending down.”
As first responders prepare for future emergencies, Negherbon said COPS Direct remains committed to ensuring agencies have the resources needed to protect both the public and fellow officers.
“It’s just making sure that, at the end of the day, Texans come home after their job,” Negherbon said.