Police departments across the country have been receiving generous donations from individuals and communities alike.
In 2015, charity proceeds from donated goods being sold to thrift stores yielded $2.5 million in support of additional charitable organizations locally, nationwide, and internationally. Many of these donated goods are given new life in developing nations where people can use American goods for much cheaper. More than 14.3 million tons of donated textiles help clothe struggling families across the world.
Lately, while these international charities are continuing to do great work to help struggling people at home and abroad, it’s been police departments that have received support through donations.
According to WIFR, in Rockford, Illinois, the Rockford Police Department was given a $10,000 gift. The donations were provided by the Grainger Foundation, which is a private state organization. The money will be used to help the police officers better connect with the city’s youth. Half will be given to help support the department’s mobile learning labs for improved youth-based interactive programs and the other $5,000 will be given to help the Five-O basketball team.
In Collin County, Texas, as reported by Celina Record, the Celina Police Department has received large donations of strong metal, rather than cash, which will improve the quality of their protective bulletproof vests.
As part of the Collin County Adopt-A-Cop program, members of the community greeted the Celina officers with heavy, metal-plated protective vests.
“The department does provide ballistic vests that we wear under our uniform,” said Celina Police Lieutenant Shea Scott. “These are more of a tactical vest for those type of situations. The ballistic vests we wear now dont actually stop rifle rounds. Its just more protection.”
A tungsten-based metal foam has recently been developed to further protect against bullets.
Tungsten, which is roughly twice the hardness and density of steel, is being used for a “high-Z steel-steel foam” to protect against everything from traveling bullets to neutron radiation. Fox News Tech reports that the foam doesn’t just stop bullets, but rather completely destroys them.
North Carolina State University Professor Afsaneh Rebiei led the developing team that created the impenetrable foam. In the near future, the military and law enforcement could use this kind of material for advanced, ultra-light body armor.
Finally, in Seymour, Wisconsin, a team of fourth graders are helping the Seymour Police Department’s K9 program by asking parents for donations.
Caden Luben, who just turned 10 years old, was even asking for donations to help the department rather than receive birthday presents of his own.
“I think it’s just amazing,” said Police Chief Richard Buntrock. “In a small community, you really have an opportunity to see neat things like this and it serves us well because we put a lot of effort into connecting with our children in our community, and when a 10-year-old tells you ‘Well, I heard on the announcements at school that they’re fundraising for a K9 and that I would like to have my birthday money go to that’ is just so impressive.”