Richmond Police Dept. donates cruiser, collects supplies for flood-ravaged EKY

RICHMOND, Ky. (WKYT) - Governor Andy Beshear has called on all Kentuckians to help as flood clean-up and recovery efforts continue in eastern Kentucky.

When it comes to a natural disaster, like we saw in Eastern Kentucky, every bit of aid can help, and it doesn’t matter where it comes from. Richmond Police officers decided that they wanted to do what they could to help out, so they called for donations.

“It wasn’t my idea. It was them taking the lead on this. They basically went around to different businesses and different areas and just -to collect goods, things that were needed,” Chief Rodney Richardson, Richmond Chief of Police. “Really, it was a teamwork effort between the police department and the community, the citizens of Richmond, because, if it wasn’t for them bringing those items to us to take and deliver down there, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

Chief Richardson says some of his officers took the supplies down to areas that needed them most.

The donations came from all over Richmond and the department even donated something themselves. One of their police cruisers is now being used by Hazard Police Officers to make patrols and help people in their communities.

Chief Richardson says, when it comes to helping people in need, this is just what Kentuckians do.

“It takes a team to be successful, and we live in a great state,” said Chief Richardson. “Kentucky really works together to help people out and we’ve seen that time and time again.”

This is not something new for the department. If you remember, back to the tornado outbreak in Western Kentucky, Richmond police also donated a cruiser to a community out there to help.

Chief Richardson says some of his officers are trying to organize another trip down to eastern Kentucky in the coming weeks. He said that they were told the biggest need right now is people willing to help.

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