Comanche Nation Police Department Raises Funds for Community Events
The Comanche Nation Police Department (CNPD) held a raffle, with Valor Defense providing the grand prize, to raise funds for community events put on by CNPD’s Community Division, such as Cops and Kids and Shop with a Cop.
They sold out tickets in 20 days and raised over $30,000.
Lt. Robert Chavez with CNPD’s Community Policing Division said it will also fund new ideas.
“I'm working on a firearms safety and familiarization class for tribal members and tribal employees. It's going to be free,” he said. “Next is a, I'm working on a basketball tournament. It's called Husky Half Court. It's going to be for the bigger folks. I'm trying to promote activity, wellness, fitness for the bigger people, men and women, start working towards going down instead of up in weight. So that's where we're at. I don't have anything else planned as of yet, but my brain's working all the time.”
Josh Powers, the owner of Valor Defense, has helped with past fundraising events.
“They reached out in reference to…needing some other ideas for raising money. I participate in several different organizations,” he said. “I help out with Local Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, soon to be the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and a few other little non-profit-type things. So, we had a general idea of where we were going to go. I came up with another idea, though, that I had participated myself on the raffles for a lot of it's usually wildlife conservation. I participated in the particular one that was set up this way, to where the prize was really big and really good, and there's a limited number of tickets. I've seen how well that's worked and then kind of was able to refine it to fit this need. And I kind of gave them the idea, and then the Comanche Nation Police Department ran with it and got it all set up and turned it into their own little idea now.”
Chavez said everyone is invited and welcomed to be more involved.
“We try to put everything out on social media the best we can because it seems like that's the best way to reach out to the community, whether it be tribal or non-tribal or even out of this area,” he said. “Just participate. I mean, it could be even if you don't have to pay for anything, at least you're participating in the community, and the whole thing about reaching out to the community is building the bridge between the law enforcement and the community itself.”
Mike Hillary won the grand prize after his name was drawn during a Facebook Live broadcast.
