AGENCY SPOTLIGHT


Community Outreach By Buddy Williams, Chief, Live Oak Police Department I am submitting this article in hopes of opening eyes to the law enforcement profession, to realize that there is more to what we do than “put people in jail”. I have 30+ years of service and have held the title of Chief for 11 years at the greatest agency on the planet. It is firmly placed in “God’s Country”, for those that don’t know that is Live Oak Florida, population 7,500.


I have always had the belief that service to the community should be a top priority. I have worked patrol, drug task force, school resource, D.A.R.E. instructor both elementary and middle school, adjunct instructor at our local college 20+ years and have held every administrative position at the Live Oak Police Department. I strive to support our community in every way and have dedicated many hours to the implementation of community and school programs and events. I have a complete understanding that the times have changed and policing tactics have had to change to meet those needs. I also know the struggles of hiring employees that feel the same way I do and have the same goals and expectations of the agency Mission Statement. I have reaped the benefits of being involved and known throughout this community. I also know the issues that come with being the “go to” guy or agency in our community.


As part of our efforts, myself and several of the officers with the agency started a cooking group known as “Cooking for a Cause”. We have been doing fundraisers for several years now and have raised thousands of dollars for families or individuals in need. We do this through cooking barbeque or chicken and rice and our community has grown to love and support us in this mission. The most recent fundraising effort we conduct- ed (at the time of this writing) was for a young high school senior that was enjoying his time off at the Suwannee River the Thursday prior to his Saturday night graduation. He slipped and fell in the river and drowned. This young man was well liked in the community and a respected member of the Suwannee High School football team. He as well as many others came from a family that did not have very much and the burden of burying a family member seemed to be almost impossible. Cooking for a Cause was contacted by the high school football coach and set the wheels in motion to do a fundraiser. We conducted that barbeque fundraiser and our community came together to raise $5,500 dollars to assist with the funeral expenses in a little over 2 hours. The barbeque sold out and people supported one of our own without hesitation.


This is just one of the many outreach programs we do for our community. As we all know the homeless pop- ulation continues to grow. Our town does not have any programs or shelters to assist these individuals for a short time to get back on their feet. I was contacted by Kathleen Townsend who lives in Suwannee County. Kathleen said that she was on the internet and watched a video of someone making mats for the homeless out of plastic shopping bags. She further explained that it took around 700 bags to make the mats, and she felt like it was her calling to do this project. She and I talked for a short time and she asked if I would help her in this venture. Well, just like that a new project was launched to show cohesiveness with the communi- ty and the law enforcement profession. I posted a request on my personal Facebook page explaining what Ms. Kathleen was wanting to do and was in need of as many plastic bags that people were willing to donate.


I even agreed to have the Live Oak Police Department as the drop off point. The response was incredible, within a couple of days thousands of bags were dropped off, local grocery stores and Walmart contributed several thousand more bags and a program was launched. There was an immediate surge of people interest- ed in helping with this project. Kathleen and I talked a little further and we decided to host a class at the Po- lice Department for those interested in donating bags and crocheting the mats. In no time the class was held, people loved the outreach and within a couple of months, there were enough mats and pillows made to place one in every patrol car for the Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office and to have extras on


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