Citizens may notice the addition of beards and goatees among officers of the Benton Police Department throughout November. Officers are borrowing an idea from the No-Shave November movement, popular for raising funds and awareness for cancer. But BNPD’s cause is the annual Shop with Our Cops program. Saline County Chaplain Tamara Gore oversees the shopping program each holiday season.
Officers who choose to participate in No-Shave November pay the Benton Fraternal Order of Police a donation of $25 plus a matching donation and then “earn” the option of wearing facial hair for the month. BNPD has a policy that does not permit facial hair beyond mustaches. During this month-long initiative, guidelines remain in place to for all officers to maintain a professional appearance.
“We are willing to bend the rules for a season to support Chaplain Gore and the children of this community,” said Chief Scotty Hodges. “Shop with Our Cops has become a staple outreach for our department and provides a much-needed service to the community.”
Local children who need help for shopping for their family go with officers, using the donations from the community and organizations like the Benton Fraternal Order of Police. In 2020 with pandemic restrictions, Chaplain Gore worked with officers and local schools to fulfill shopping lists and deliver directly to the families. Officers hope to resume traditional way this year – taking kids to the stores.
“We’re happy to support this effort either way,” said Hodges, “but the relationships that form when we get to shop with the kids are unbeatable, so we are all hopeful that the pandemic continues to cooperate.”
For more info, contact BNPD at 501-776-5948 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.