Garner Police Department Annual Report 2018 Published July 2019 | Page 19

Division and Officer Kevan Anderson, who is a
Platoon Leader also assigned to the Patrol Division.
Social Media
The Garner Police Department remains committed
to using social media to engage our community
and keep our followers updated on important
information. During 2018 we notified followers
of traffic related incidents, crime alerts, news
releases, and even gave out the location of speed
enforcement/DWI checkpoints. We realize that
social media plays an important part in staying
connected with the community.
Garner PD and friends in the community participate
in the annual Torch Run to support Special Olympics.
“Shop with a Cop”
Each year the Garner Police Department partners
with TT&E Iron and Metal, Inc. and other area
businesses to provide a Christmas party and
shopping opportunity to Garner area families who
might not otherwise have a Christmas. With the
assistance of local school counselors, families in
need are identified; with TT&E’s generosity, the
families are provided with a shopping budget
and police officer escorts at a local retailer that
allows for a Christmas celebration that would not
otherwise be possible. Since its inception, the
“Shop with a Cop” program has provided support
to close to 500 children and their families, and
more than $500,000 has been donated to support
families in need in the Garner community.
Special Olympics
Raising money for Special Olympics has a long
tradition in law enforcement locally and nationally.
Our agency participates by raising funds and
participating in Special Olympics North Carolina.
In 2018, we raised a total of $10,834. Fundraising
events included Cops-on-Top sponsored by Chick-
fil-A, a CrossFit WOD for inclusion, and T-shirt sales
to the public. We also participated in the torch
relay across North Carolina to increase awareness
for Special Olympics. The department’s efforts to
support Special Olympics were led by Officer Judy
Benitez, who is a K-9 Officer assigned to the Patrol
GPD maintains a website as part of the Town
of Garner’s website that can be accessed via
garnerpd.org or garnernc.gov/departments/
police. Our website allows citizens to receive
information, send us information, and get copies
of motor vehicle crash reports.
We currently partner with raidsonline.com to
provide public crime statistics and crime mapping
at no cost to the town or to the public. Public copies
of crime reports are available from p2c.wakeso.net.
Garner Police also has a Nextdoor account that
can be found at nextdoor.com. Nextdoor is a
neighborhood based platform where residents
can connect with each other. The Police
Department maintains communication with
neighbors through sending important safety
information and crime alerts.
GPD maintains a Facebook page to disseminate
information to the community. We can be found
on Facebook as “Garner NC Police” or by going
to facebook.com/GarnerPolice.
We can be found on Twitter as @GarnerPolice.
Please consider giving us a follow for regular
access to useful information regarding the Garner
Police Department and the Town of Garner.
Finally, we encourage you to follow Chief
Brandon Zuidema’s Twitter account. His account,
@ChiefZuidema, provides information about the
department and other activities Chief Zuidema is
involved in both regionally and nationally.
(Please note: Our social media is not currently
monitored outside of regular business hours; in the
event of an emergency or if you need immediate
assistance, please call 911.)
GARNER POLICE DEPARTMENT 2018 ANNUAL REPORT
19