Shelton police seek community donations for officer-run aid fund to help people in crisis

Captain Kathy Patton and Shelton police leaders presented a community-donation program at the Aug. 26 study session that would provide officers with restricted, prepaid cards to purchase immediate, small-scale assistance for people they encounter on calls. Patton said the program partners with a nonprofit (presented to council as the Blue Bridge Alliance) that offered an initial $2,500 if the department could raise a matching amount. The department has received a partial match to start and is seeking community donations. Patton said the fund is not city general-fund money; donations would be held and disbursed for client needs at officers’ discretion within written policy. “100% of that money goes back to our community,” Patton said. Under the proposed controls, the chief and command staff would set card limits, officers would document…