The families of two helicopter television journalists killed in a collision in Phoenix in July have donated much of the considerable public fund created in their memory to a group that helps the families of police officers killed in the line of duty. Pilot/reporter Scott Bowerbank and cameraman Jim Cox, of KVTK, died July 27 when their helicopter collided with a KNXV helicopter flown by Craig Smith, with videographer Rick Krolak on board. All four died. Bowerbank and Coxs families have donated $500,000 to the TASER Foundation For Fallen Officers and asked that all subsequent donations be directed there. TASER Foundation spokesman Gerry Hills said its the largest single donation ever received and will be used to fund a permanent endowment to provide financial help to the families of fallen police officers in the U.S. and Canada. “We are overwhelmed by such generosity,” said Hills. An average of 145 police officers are killed in the line of duty in Canada and the U.S. every year.
