The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Police hold successful fund-raiser
Second event secures funds for twelfth year
By Dan DuChene, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: November 8, 2007
More than 75 people were at Pub 13 on Friday night, supporting community policing and eating chili.
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In all, the event took in $2,113 through the $8 per-person donation for the dinner, a $900 anonymous donation and the fund raising committee's merchandise sales.
"We had a lot of people donate more than just the $8," said Lula Jones, who has been organizing the fundraisers.
"A lot of people had gone through the academy," she said. "They really wanted to see it come back."
The event was the second fund-raiser this year to benefit the Ypsilanti Police Department's Citizens' Police Academy, where residents can sign up to learn more about the city's police and how to help.
"I'm a graduate," said David Curtis, owner of the bar located on Washington Street.
"I enjoyed the program. It's good for the community."
Curtis said his goal was to match or exceed the money raised at the first event, held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church last month. The first event raised more than $1,500 for the program.
"I'm very impressed with the turn out," said Ypsilanti Police Chief Matt Harshberger at the event on Friday night.
"It's just fabulous," he said. "I cannot believe all the folks who keep coming out."
Harshberger said the program has been in question in the face of possible budget cuts from the city. He said the Friends of the Ypsilanti Police already provide the materials for the program, but the department still needs to pay the overtime salary to allow sergeants to teach the class.
"We don't know how things are going to go at this very moment," he said. "This is taking the question out."
Between the two fundraisers, Harshberger said the program will able to run next year, which is its 12th. But the events will need to continue to fund the program in the coming years.
Classes for the 2008 Citizens' Police Academy start in January. So far, 14 people have signed up, and space is limited to about 20 participants a year.
Harshberger said the classes are set up to teach participants about the department, such as tactics and strategies used to solve crimes and the philosophy of community policing. Firearm training and police ride-alongs are featured in the course, as well as a new portion dedicated to the Ypsilanti Fire Department.
"We're hands-on as much as possible," Harshberger said. "So (participants) understand we're out there for them."
He said he hopes fund raising efforts will allow the program to expand in the coming years. Jones said other businesses are interesting in hosting a fund-raiser, including downtown printing company Glemp's and downtown coffee shop Bombadil's. Fund-raisers scheduled next year are expected to go toward the 2009 program.
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