Ackerman Police Derpartment Donations

Local police departments rely on their city leaders to determine budgets for the year but, in Ackerman, Citizens are making sure to fill the void with donations.

Local police departments rely on their city leaders to determine budgets for the year.

But declining sales tax revenues and a bumpy economy has most towns tightening their belts and cutting their budgets.

It takes funding to keep equipment updated.

And, the ackerman police department has struggled to stretch every dollar.

But as our savannah gaido found out, small donations can make a big impact retailers, law firms, and grocery stores are just a few of the local businesses that have donated to their small town police department "well, we're a small department so small budget so a lot of stuff that we couldnt get for the officers, these donations have been able to get that stuff for them to help the officers out."

With the help of the community, ackerman police chief tim cook says the department is now able to upgrade police uniforms, tools and equipement -- and even add a new copier standup: around 25 businesses have donated to the police department.

But right here at alpha is where the donations started."

Alpha insurance agent dakota brasher says the idea started from talking with the assistant chief martha caradine??

"me and her through conversation thought hey i can help out in any way possible with getting a little money and maybe some other folks will too and it just kind of took off from there."

People have helped.

In just 2 months, the donations jumped from $500 to $5,300 cooks says the genorousity of the community has brought ackerman closer "people jsut supporting the police department and the police, and that gives us an even greater relationship with the public."

"everybody is going to take care of everybody and this is just another deal where you see so many things going on that's negative, and then you come to ackerman where you see the community members giving back to the first responders and the police department and it jsut kind of shows you the representation our city means and what it means to people."

Reporting ?

In ackerman, savannah gaido wcbi news.

And, to share the love - the ackerman police department gives facebook shoutouts to businesses that have given them donations.

Stinger