RECENT PROJECTS

The Foundation's most recent fundraiser was for this Draganfly Commander 3XL Drone System.

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Current Board of Directors.​​

​​The virtual training simulator is featured above.​​

Meet Don and Bary, the K-9s purchased by the Police Foundation. 

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• In fall 2023, the Police Foundation raised funds to purchase a Draganfly Commander 3 XL Drone System to assist the Police Department with collision reconstruction, search and rescue, and special event security. The Commander 3 XL is considered the "Swiss Army Knife of Drones” and can be equipped with a variety of payloads to suit the mission, including live-feed cameras, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) for collision reconstruction, and thermal infrared cameras for search missions and special events. The Department expects the drone to be operational by early 2024.
  
• In October 2022, the Foundation funded the purchase of 75 personal metal detector wands for each officer, adding an additional layer of protection and security for those in the field. These small wands enhance hand-searches and allow officers to detect for concealed weapons and objects as small as razor blades. To learn more, visit the WPSD story here.
  
• During each Christmas season since 2021, the Department’s School Resource Officers have been able to purchase and distribute Christmas gifts to students from the three Paducah City elementary schools. The students are selected from a “Letters to Santa” project created by Officer Gretchen Morgan. The Foundation helps Santa make some of those Christmas wishes come true, and the School Resource Officers deliver the gifts to the students’ homes in their police cruisers.
  
• For the eighth consecutive year, officers participated in the Cultural Leadership Academy as part of a continued focus on employee development and to enhance cultural competency. In partnership with the Ray & Kay Eckstein Charitable Trust, the Foundation plays a key role in providing the financial support necessary to continue the program. In November 2022, seven officers graduated, bringing the total number of Paducah Police Officers who have completed the training to 46. 
  
• In February 2021, the Department welcomed Bary, its newest K-9. Bary and his handler, Officer Benjamin Anthony, completed six weeks of training at Vohne Liche Kennels and have been actively working in Paducah since. The Foundation paid for Bary and his training, which is the second K-9 that the Foundation has purchased for the Department.
  
• The Foundation supported an officer-led initiative that raised money for the Oscar Cross Boys and Girls Club through the “Battle of the Badges” competition. Throughout year, Police Department versus Fire Department competitive sporting events helped the officers raise funds for the Club. The Foundation was able to match the funds raised by the officers.
  
• In 2020, the Police Foundation purchased a virtual training simulator for the Paducah Police Department - which was the Foundation's largest fundraising project to date! The Department has used it to help train new recruits, interact with simulator scenarios related to de-escalation and how to handle calls related to mental health issues.  The interactive simulator utilizes the latest use of force and firearms simulations to give officers near-to real life training on an ongoing basis. It is an immersive experience and depicts scenarios that allow officers to train for a variety of situations. To learn more, visit the WPSD story here.