History

The Blue Family Tree was founded by Patrick Rice, a United States Marine, and a Colorado law enforcement officer since 1999. Patrick started as a sheriff’s deputy in Grand County Colorado. While working at Grand County, the world changed for all of its visitors on September 11th, 2001. Patrick was filled with an overwhelming desire to do more. He hadn’t yet figured out what that was, but he believed there was a greater cause he was meant to impact. After several years Patrick left Grand County and joined the Grand Junction Police Department. He faced his first brother in blue dying in the form of a police dog shot in 2004. His passion to be involved and have a greater impact was re-fueled and began taking direction. Patrick became a founding member of the department's honor guard.  He was instrumental in the design of the uniform with a heavy Marine Corps influence, and he attended numerous law enforcement funerals in Colorado and around the country in that role. Patrick left the Grand Junction Police Department and joined the Colorado State Patrol in 2014. After he joined the state patrol, the agency lost two officers in as many years in the line of duty. Finally, in 2016, Patrick lost a dear friend who worked for the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office to a gun wielding juvenile. All the events and history were in place in Patrick’s heart and mind to bring his vision to reality. Patrick created The Blue Family Tree in 2016 to give law enforcement professionals a way to take care of their own, and live up to the promises they so frequently hear, that we are there for each other when it’s needed.