In the midst of the lazy days of summer, local volunteers are working hard to prepare for the Fourth Annual Tucson Police Foundation Back to School Safety and Health Fair.
The event will be from 9 a.m. to noon July 30 at Park Place Mall.
“We had 500 kids when we started three years ago, and last year we had about 6,000 kids, so it was an incredible turnout and I think it really shows the need for this kind of event,” said Bonnie Faircloth, executive director of the foundation. “We had some vendors going back to get more supplies to distribute to the kids and families. We are very proud of our participants and so happy that we are able to assist the community in this way.”
The nonprofit has a two-fold purpose: It is dedicated to fostering public safety through community-building, education and outreach while promoting a partnership between the Tucson Police Department and the community in order to solicit and distribute funds that will assist the department in keeping the community safe.
Since its inception in 2003, the foundation has provided a diverse variety of equipment, technology and software that is not covered by the city budget. Donations have ranged from safety holsters for firearms and window-tint meters to first-aid kits that help stem bleeding at the scene of accidents before ambulances arrive. The foundation has donated Honda motorcycles for motorcycle patrol officers, Segways and Gator utility vehicles for downtown bicycle patrol officers and a bomb dog now in training.
The foundation also sponsors Safe Teen Accident Reduction Training for teens and the Hearts of Gold Police Family Outreach program, which assists officers and their families in the case of accident or illness or when an officer is killed in the line of duty. Additionally, the Adopt a Cop program has provided more than 400 replacement bulletproof vests (at the cost of almost $1,000 each) for officers in the last five years. The required vests (officers are issued one upon hiring but must purchase their own thereafter) are guaranteed for five years and are often a hardship for officers to replace.
“At the foundation, we have a particular mission to raise funds to help bridge the gap for unfunded critical life-saving pieces of equipment, technology and training for our officers. Just as important is the appreciation of our law enforcement officers for what they do in keeping the community safe,” said Faircloth.
Faircloth encourages the public to support officers either verbally or visually by displaying a “Thank A Cop” bumper sticker (free from the foundation office at 3900 E. Timrod St., Suite 7, and five TPD substations), particularly in light of the slayings of police officers in Texas and Louisiana.
“We encourage people to walk up to officers and say, ‘Thank you’ or show support in a visual manner so they know they are valued. I want to qualify this by saying police officers don’t expect that, but they certainly appreciate it,” she said.
Faircloth emphasized that events such as the health and safety fair help to humanize police officers and to cultivate positive relationships with individuals in the community.
Attendees can expect information from officers on internet safety, self-defense, social media and anti-bullying, as well as meet-and-greets with patrol officers, motorcycle officers and K-9 units. Other services include free school supplies and books, free flu shots, free fingerprinting for school-age children, more than 500 free bicycle safety helmets, free booster seats while supplies last for children ages 5 to 8. .
“Officers will speak on behalf of what they do and help kids and their families to see different ways that they can be helpful and provide information on different resources,” Faircloth said. “It is meant to be very engaging, with lots of interaction. We are very happy about the opportunity to put the officers into the community at this event.”
Faircloth also hopes to engage the community at the Tucson Police Foundation Charity Golf Tournament on Sept. 17 at La Paloma Country Club.
“We are working on finding supporters and sponsors as well donations that we can use as raffle prizes. It is just a fantastic golf course and we are hoping to encourage participants to enjoy a round of golf and the opportunity to support Tucson police officers,” she said.
