The Lincoln Police Union is spreading a little holiday cheer this year with a toy giveaway.
Lincoln Police Union Member Luke Bonkiewicz says the union has been working on the giveaway since October when the union learned the Malone Community daycare had organized a wishlist.
“It had trucks, it had dolls, it had paint smocks...just all sorts of things that a daycare needs,” Bonkiewiczs said. “We decided that, as a union, we were going to buy out their list.”
Friday members of the union delivered $2,000 worth of toys to the daycare; paid for with money from the union’s charity fund.
Malone Center Executive Director John Goodwin says the donation is part of a larger effort by community leaders to foster positive relationships between citizens and law enforcement.
“We believe that if we can create these different experiences that the behaviors and the thinking patterns and the behaviors and the outcomes (between citizens and police) will be a lot different and more successful,” Goodwin said.
For their efforts, union members were met with grins from the dozen or so attendees and a special “thank you” song.