Where were you on September 11, 2001?
Over the past month, POAM invited our members to share their personal stories of September 11, 2001, including where they were, what they remember, and how they believe that tragic day changed the profession of law enforcement.
We are deeply grateful to every member who took the time to participate in this important initiative. Your memories are potent reminders of how 9/11 forever altered the course of our nation and reshaped the responsibilities and priorities of law enforcement. By sharing your voices, you have helped us preserve a collective history that speaks to our officers’ resilience and that day’s enduring impact.
Sacrifice, Resilience, and the Evolution of Law Enforcement
This effort was about more than reflection. It was about honoring the sacrifices made, recognizing how our profession has evolved in response to new challenges, and ensuring that the lessons of September 11 continue to guide us. The stories you provided add immense value to POAM, helping us connect on a profoundly human level while strengthening our shared commitment to serve and protect.
What Our Members Had to Say
Now, we invite you to read and reflect on what our members had to say. Their perspectives form a rich and diverse tapestry of experiences. Each one is a vital part of our collective memory and a testament to the courage, dedication, and unity that define law enforcement.
Name: Kenneth Grabowski, Legislative Director
How old were you? Where were you?
57 years old.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
Turned on the morning news, getting ready to go to the POAM office.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
It has caused unnecessary fear and mistrust. It has given too much power and regulations to the Federal Government and made the police profession perform more military-type duties. People are made to feel afraid and give up their rights.
Name: Al Brzys, Research Analyst
How old were you? Where were you?
I was 34 years old. That day, I was off building a garage behind my house and getting ready to side it.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
I got a phone call from someone I knew who said an airliner had hit one of the Towers at the World Trade Center. I thought, how can the pilot make that kind of mistake? Then, moments later, I received another call from the same person who said the other Tower was struck by another plane. I suspected a terror attack, stopped what I was doing, and prepared to be called into work. We were on 8-hour shifts, but I expected to be called in on 12’s.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
You can never take enough precautions and don’t think it can’t happen again.
Name: Gregg Allgeier, Business Agent
How old were you? Where were you?
39. I was in Dearborn, Michigan.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
My supervisor notified me that an airplane had hit one of the NYC towers. I was patrolling the south end of Dearborn as a Dearborn Police Officer. Being born and raised in New York and having served as a NYPD Police Officer for 10 years (1983-1992) I knew immediately that this was no accident and sure enough the 2nd plane struck the second tower minutes later. Having intimate knowledge of the dense area, I feared for my family, friends, former co-workers, and the USA. I lost two personal friends and an NYPD coworker that day. In addition, I knew several NYPD Police Officers who have since passed due to the toxic exposure they were subjected to while working at the devastating crime scene. I knew from that day forward the world would be changed forever.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
Ironically, I believe it has caused even more obstacles and barriers for police officers to enforce the laws that Congress passes, as exhibited by the times we live in today’s society. May God bless those poor souls who perished and their families, and continue to bless the United States of America.
Name: Dan Kuhn, Business Agent
How old were you? Where were you?
I was 37 years old, and I was in my living room on my day off from the Saginaw City Police Department.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
I was watching Fox News at home on my day off. The next day, I was ordered to secure the city’s water treatment plant.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
I think the attacks that occurred that day led to police becoming more focused on proactive law enforcement and intelligence-driven rather than waiting for catastrophic incidents to occur and then reacting. Some of the things that were implemented, like the TSA and Patriot Act, are debated to this day as possibly going too far. I, for one, sometimes wonder if the TSA, for example, could be re-examined for effectiveness and possibly remodeled.
Name: Garry
How old were you? Where were you?
I was 40 years old, I had retired from the Army 10 months prior, and I was 2 months into the Police Academy at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, MI.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
During a classroom portion of the police academy, the academy’s director came into class to inform us all. They turned on the news in the classroom, and we monitored activities for the remainder of the day.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
Obviously, it affected the security requirements at major sporting events like the Big House in Ann Arbor, MI, where I work. I feel that additional officers are required to cover the security at these events to ensure the safety of all those who attend. A grim reminder that anything can happen at any time. I also feel it added more responsibility to conduct intelligence gathering and intelligence sharing with local, state, and federal agencies, something that was allowed with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the Patriot Act.
Name: Christopher
How old were you? Where were you?
I was 33 years old and working with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. I was parked in front of Broadmoor Middle School as a school officer.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
I was listening to the car stereo when I heard a report of an airplane hitting one of the towers. It was not reported that it was a larger plane, but that small planes had hit the towers in the past. Shortly, the radio DJ announced the second plane had hit. This was before the Internet was readily available. I drove to a nearby bank that I knew had a television and began watching the events. I was watching when the first tower collapsed.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
It changed the readiness of law enforcement to respond to events of mass destruction.
Name: Francine
How old were you? Where were you?
31
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
I was listening to the radio, 101.1 the Wriff. Drew and Mike were talking, and they had a TV in their studio, and they announced that the plane hit the towers, and it all went crazy. My boss had a TV in her office, and I asked if we could put the TV on to see the news. It was so devastating! Back at my desk, Drew and Mike kept giving play-by-play on what was happening; they even stayed on the air way after their shift to provide us with news and commentate on it. Since I work for the police, everyone is just in a fog; it is tough to work that day.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
Everyone was more on the lookout for anything and everything. We were all in awe of how things can change one’s life and how one goes about their day.
Name: David
How old were you? Where were you?
24 years old, and I woke up from my shift the night before.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
My partner called me and told me to turn on the TV. When I did, I saw Tower 2 come down. I knew America would never be the same again.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
The threat to our country on our soil became a reality, not just something you watched happen on the news. After you saw information sharing between agencies get vastly better and multijurisdictional teams become the norm, there was an overall heightened sense of awareness that wasn’t there before.
Name: Donald
How old were you? Where were you?
50+
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
I saw it on the news while working out in the gym.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
I’m a former sworn officer, and currently counsel with agencies nationwide. It came when I was teaching officers (live training) how to survive lethal force attacks. I know how important it was for law enforcement agencies to prepare and stay informed; this was just the start. Be prepared for attacks on our police. Police are our front-line defense because, as long as we have armed citizens and local police, we can’t be defeated. The people and the police can only defeat themselves. Thank you for asking.
Name: Anonymous
How old were you? Where were you?
I had just turned 26 and was 5 years into my law enforcement career. On my day off from work, I was driving to court to appear for traffic court.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
I was driving into court early that morning, listening to the radio in my car. The radio station DJ announced, “It appears they are getting a report of an airplane hitting the World Trade Center building in NYC”. I didn’t think much of it. I thought it was probably a small Cessna or similar plane, not a large commercial aircraft. When I got to the court, I was near the Judge’s chamber in the back offices and could hear his TV on and the judge sitting there. I poked in to look at the TV, and the judge began talking to me about the type of plane they think that hit the building and the chaos on the ground. As we were watching the live news reports, the second plane hit the other WTC! We were in utter awe and shock, and simultaneously thought and mentioned that these were intentional terrorist type attacks. I finished my business at court that morning, went home, and was glued to the TV until late at night, watching all the coverage.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
9/11 forever changed how every law enforcement officer in the country thought and worked after that day. New protocols were formed, and officers began looking more closely at all suspected types of terrorism. We also watched the federal government create and form new divisions of LE agencies and positions. As a country, our aviation security systems were heightened, safeguarded, and changed forever.
Name: Eric
How old were you? Where were you?
I was 36 and working with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office fugitive unit.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
I just got into work and turned on the television to check the local news when I heard about the first plane hitting the tower, then saw the second plane hitting the other.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
It changed how agencies notified and relayed information to each other. It also made us more aware of our surroundings.
Name: Leo
How old were you? Where were you?
45 years old, at work at the Clinton Township police department.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
We had just moved into our new police station and had no video or TV in the building. A contractor walked through and asked if we had seen that a plane had flown into a building in New York. We had the station officer run and buy rabbit ears so we could watch it. I ran home, stood close by, put in a DVD, and recorded that day.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
We now have to worry about an enemy we didn’t think about. Knowing someone would do that in the USA changed how we looked at the world. It made us less naive.
Name: Jennifer
How old were you? Where were you?
29. I was home after working a midnight shift and dealing with the Rainbow Farms incident in Cass County.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
After working a midnight shift, I was sleeping when my best friend called me to tell me what was happening. I got up, went to the living room, and turned the TV on just as the second tower was getting hit.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
Impacts from 9/11 show there is a vast communication problem when disaster strikes. It is still a problem this many years later. I think it has altered law enforcement for the older generation that lived through it and is in law enforcement in any capacity. It seems we may go back to that day and question what is happening. We watch planes differently and question different things today than we would’ve before-9/11.
Name: Kurt
How old were you? Where were you?
29, Saginaw County Courthouse front door security.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
While screening people coming into the building, an attorney came in and said a plane had hit the World Trade Center. Most people were in, so I went to the cafeteria to see if it was on TV. As I walked to the basement, it was live on TV. One tower was burning, and in the next second, I witnessed the second plane hit the second tower. I stood in utter disbelief, knowing that the country was under attack, as no way two planes could hit both towers on the same day in a matter of several minutes.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
It changed the way the security of the airline industry operated. Pre-screenings, locked cockpits, air marshals, and banning specific tools and commodities. It made law enforcement more aware of global threats, especially radical Islam. NYPD created a dedicated division to terror threats and became more aware of events outside of NYC. It also displayed for the country to see first responders- especially the police- running toward danger instead of running away. It was an exceedingly sorrowful moment, but the aftermath that made the country proud of law enforcement was amazing!
Name: Scott
How old were you? Where were you?
30, at the station, just getting back from court.
How did you hear about it? What were you doing?
Watching it on TV, couldn’t believe a plane had hit the tower, then the 2nd one hit, and we knew this was an attack.
How do you believe it has altered law enforcement today?
After this day, law enforcement is not local; you have a larger(global) mindset. The people you encounter may have a much bigger agenda than just an encounter with local police, and how we handle that could be what trips them up.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
Together, we ensure that 9/11’s legacy lives on in history books and the lived experiences of those who carry its lessons forward daily.
By contributing your story, you help preserve a diverse tapestry of memories that encapsulate the collective experience of that day. Your voice not only honors the past but also informs the present and future of our profession. Check back at the end of the month to hear what others have shared and see the full range of perspectives.
For a deeper look at how 9/11 shaped the Department of Homeland Security and its ongoing impact on law enforcement, consider reading DHS twenty years after 9/11: Looking back and looking ahead.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Annual Convention
Next year’s POAM 2026 Annual Convention will honor the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001. The convention will focus on reflecting on that pivotal historical moment and celebrating that day’s courage, resilience, and sacrifices. Attendees can expect commemorative sessions, stories from fellow law enforcement professionals, and discussions on how 9/11 has shaped the future of public safety. Join us to remember, reflect, and connect with others committed to serving our communities. Learn more about what you can expect.