Local law enforcement work to cram cruisers with food for holidays

Calvert City Police Department and Marshall County Sheriff’s Office are working to ensure that residents who need a little help have plenty to eat this holiday season. Both agencies are hosting cram the cruiser food drives throughout the holiday season to collect non-perishable food items to stock pantries with goods for local families.

It’s a first for CPD, according to Chief David Elliott. Calvert City Police have partnered with Food Giant on 5th Avenue in Calvert City to park a surplus patrol car in front of the store during business hours through Friday, Nov. 17. Residents may leave non-perishable food items in the unlocked cruiser, which will then be taken to Marshall County Caring Needline for distribution.

CPD Capt. Robert West, food drive organizer, said it was something the department had considered doing before, but circumstances had prevented the idea from coming to fruition. This year, the pieces just fell into place.

“It never timed out right to where we had a vehicle that was not in service,” West said. “And then Randall Vinson at Food Giant had contacted us, so we just kind of ran with it from there. The car we’ve got is one that’s going to be surplussed out. It’s already been stripped out and emptied. … We just happened to have a surplus vehicle that still had stripes on it.

“We talked about putting it at City Hall, but then again right there where people go in the store they see it, when they come out they see it,” West added. “It’s right there, easy and accessible. We thought we might get more donations that way.”

CPD will host a second collection point to prepare for the Christmas season, as well. West said Dec. 2-3, the cruiser would be parked in front of Cash Express on 5th Avenue to allow residents to contribute canned goods and other non-perishable food items once more. Collections from the second drive will go to the Calvert City-Sharpe Family Resource Center.

MCSO is hosting its own version of cram the cruiser, as well. The sheriff’s department for the second year has parked a surplus cruiser on the lawn in front of the office at 202 W. 5th St. in Benton. Residents may bring canned goods and other non-perishable food items and leave them inside the unlocked patrol car for donation to Bags of Hope Food Pantry in Hardin. MCSO will collect monetary donations during business hours inside the office, as well, which will be given to Marcella’s Kitchen for the purchase of necessary food items.

“That’s kind of the same plan this year as well,” said Deputy Chris Greenfield, food drive coordinator. “Any kind of food item we collect we donate to Bags of Hope once again. They’ve contacted us that if we did collect any food if they could receive some of it, because their mission is all year long. I believe they hand out food down there two times a week. Especially this time of year … they’re needing help. … (Marcella’s Kitchen) sets menus and stuff like that, so it would be hard to match their menu with items we just randomly collect. So it just allows them to purchase their own food and things they need.”

It was an event well received in 2016. Greenfield said MCSO collected more than 4,000 food items for Bags of Hope and about $800 for Marcella’s Kitchen in its first year. Greenfield, who introduced the idea last year, said the effort was all about community.

“I see the value in getting interaction from the community, so that played a part in it,” Greenfield said. “… Also, it’s a faith thing. You know, we’re commanded to love our neighbors and take care of each other, so that’s what we’re doing. That’s a big part of it, just loving the community and you know, showing our appreciation for the love they show us, too. Taking care of people is what it’s all about.”

The cruiser will remain parked in front of the department until just a few days before Christmas, though deputies will take items collected prior to Thanksgiving to both missions and then start over again to take donations for Christmas as well. In addition, deputies will set up to collect items and money in person from 2-5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Walmart in Benton. Additional dates will be announced as they are scheduled.

Sheriff Kevin Byars said he hoped to see the drive flourish again as the need in Marshall County was very real.

“It’s a way for us to kind of give back to the community as well and help out the ones that are less fortunate,” Byars said. “Whether people in this county like to realize it or not, we do have folks here who are in need, and this is just a way to help. We want to be community partners as well; our job is a tough job to do, we see nastiness and have to deal with that, but we’re here to help too.”