enhancing community safety and fostering connections
THE FUND’s programming is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community and the first responders who serve it. By equipping first responders with crucial training and resources, offering educational scholarships and emergency support to their families, and fostering meaningful community connections, THE FUND plays a vital role in building a safer and more united community. Through these initiatives, we ensure that our heroes and their families receive the support they deserve and our city remains a safe, vibrant place for all.
Supporting Our Heroes And Their Families
Offering educational scholarships and emergency support to first-responders and their families.
Scholarship Program
One of the most important programs of THE FUND is to recognize and reward student scholars who are the children of officers. This program is one of the ways we thank our officers. The Scholarship Program provides a monetary award to eligible students for post High School study at colleges and universities as well as for technical school programs.
Emergency Support Fund
The Emergency Support Fund is a crucial resource offering immediate assistance to West Palm Beach Police officers and their families during times of need. It helps alleviate the financial burdens that come with unforeseen hardships, providing peace of mind to those who serve our community with dedication and bravery. This fund embodies the strong connection between the West Palm Beach Police Department and the citizens they protect, demonstrating our commitment to supporting those who ensure public safety.
West Palm Beach Police Awards
THE FUND for West Palm Beach Police is dedicated to enhancing public safety and maintaining the city’s high quality of life. The West Palm Beach Police Awards play a crucial role in this mission by recognizing and promoting excellence in police performance. These awards honor distinguished service, acknowledging the bravery, dedication, and professionalism of officers who go above and beyond the call of duty. By celebrating these exceptional contributions, the Police Awards not only motivate individual officers but also set a standard of excellence for the entire department, fostering a culture of commitment to public safety and community service.
Fostering Community Relations
Strengthening bonds through active engagement and shared initiatives.
Cops & Scholars
The goal of the Cops & Scholars Program is to connect at-risk youth with opportunities that keep them on a positive life trajectory, through regular mentoring provided by volunteering officers. Operating in minority communities facing systemic inequalities, the program encourages self-advocacy and positive life choices, aiming to prevent dropouts and involvement in criminal activities. Ethnically diverse officers serve as role models, working closely with guidance counselors and the Juvenile Justice System to identify and support the most vulnerable students. This mentoring directly improves the academic outcomes of youth who are at risk of falling into a life of crime and provides them with a means to focus on education.
Shop with a Cop
This event provides funds for children from indigent families to shop with police officers during the holiday season to purchase gifts for their families. The main purpose is to develop a relationship of trust with the police that enhances reporting of crimes in neighborhoods where mistrust of law enforcement allows crimes to go under-reported. Attempts are made to match officers with families from the areas they patrol.
Community Events Trailer
This program involves a special event trailer purchased by THE FUND for use by police officers on location to support community events. The event trailer is outfitted with sound equipment, a snow cone machine, a popcorn machine, drink coolers, and a hot dog steamer.
Tamarind Slam
The event invites school coaches to participate with members of the Police to teach youth basketball skills and techniques and build trust in the community.
Holiday Meals Delivery
THE FUND provides money to purchase hot meals on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day for homebound residents of West Palm Beach; these meals are personally delivered by police officers.
Operation "PUSH"
Pray Until Something Happens is an event on Tamarind Avenue that brings together neighbors, clergy, college fraternities & sororities, and community partners for an evening of food, music and fun with a Gospel-infused theme.
National Night Out
This police and community partnership program occurs throughout the U.S. on the first Tuesday of August each year. The police department and other community organizations hold a block party with a “Dunk the Chief” tank, a bounce house, giant lawn games, and other activities while handing out school supplies to children. The program enhances relationships between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community under positive circumstances.
Run with The Cops
Each year, hundreds of community members gather on Flagler Drive for the Annual Run with the Cops 5K, a flagship event supporting The Fund for West Palm Beach Police. This event is more than just a race—it’s a celebration of unity, trust, and collaboration between our local police department and the community they serve.
Runners, walkers, and joggers of all ages come together for this spirited event, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and mutual respect. By participating side by side with police officers, community members have the unique opportunity to connect with those who protect and serve them in a positive, informal setting. These interactions help to break down barriers, build trust, and foster open communication, which are essential for a safe and cohesive community.
Equipping First Responders to Make Our City Safer
Providing crucial training and equipment for the safety of our community and first responders.
Police Dogs
Two K-9 dogs trained in drug and narcotic sniffing were purchased by THE FUND to assist members of law enforcement and improve public safety.
Equipped for Success
The safety of our neighborhoods and the well-being of those who protect them are our top priorities. The Equipped for Success program provides additional funding for equipment, training, and initiatives that go beyond what the city budget can cover, ensuring that first responders are equipped to perform their duties with the highest level of effectiveness and security. By bridging the gap between need and readiness, this program empowers first responders to safeguard our communities with confidence and excellence, enhancing public safety and saving lives.
