RICHMOND, Va. -- Law enforcement agencies across Virginia, from the federal level to the local level, are facing staffing shortages.
As part of Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, hosted by the Virginia Law Enforcement Foundation (VALE), more than 50 different departments came to Hanover County to recruit new hires.
"Last year we only had 38 police departments registered, and we had 52 that registered this year," said Keith Culver with VALE. "So that speaks volumes about how much all of these agencies are recruiting and need officers to fill vacancies."
Culver said the event is not just about finding the perfect hire. Part of VALE's mission is to help law enforcement officers receive mental or emotional health support.
"Especially in the first responder world, where we tend to see pretty bad stuff, pretty regularly," said Chris Duane with Unit 2 Back, a nonprofit that takes law enforcement officers and first responders on free hiking and camping trips. "Identifying that deficiency and doing something about it has been a very important task, but also very rewarding to give great people the help they need and deserve."
Thirteen-year-old Kordelia Coyne set up her lemonade stand at Sunday's event. Her nonprofit, Kordelia's Lemonade Stand, raises money to buy thank you cards and $10 gift cards to send to law enforcement officers across the country.
"Some of them are shocked," Coyne said. "Some of them tell me stories about what they've seen on the job, and most of them are not good stories. There's some really bad stuff they see and they tell me how much it helps them, and it's awesome to see how much it affects them and helps them."
The event is also a fundraiser to help families of fallen or critically injured officers, like Bruce Foster.
Foster was shot while on the job at Virginia State University.
"I’m grateful and thankful just to be here. And also, just appreciative of life, and being here, with my fellow brothers and sisters in blue, and I'm just honored that they did what they did for my family, and honoring me today as well," Foster said. "Recovery has been going smooth, but at the same time, it’s a rough road that I’m going up to, but I’m just grateful that I’m here. And I’m just taking it one day at a time. So far, so good.”
Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for in-depth coverage of this important local story. Anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
SHARE on social media to SPREAD the WORD!
EAT IT, VIRGINIA restaurant news and interviews
