PAAL supports and collaborates with school staff to provide engaging life lessons and fun activities. PAAL hosted bi-weekly programs at various elementary schools in Garner. Additionally, PAAL organized weekly after-school programs at North Garner Middle and East Garner Magnet Middle Schools. These coed programs offer academic support, intramurals, field trips, and other initiatives like campus beautification. PAAL partnered with several organizations to serve over 500 students at Garner United Methodist Church’ s annual Back to School Bash. Furthermore, Garner PAAL partnered with Garner Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources to co-host the youth basketball program, with Garner police officers serving as coaches and regularly attending games to support Garner’ s youth.
Schools and Community Organized to Read( SCOR)
SCOR is a locally developed reading buddy program sponsored by the Garner Educational Foundation to support Garner’ s elementary schools. It primarily serves second graders who need extra assistance to enhance their reading skills. Numerous sworn and civilian staff members act as“ reading buddies,” meeting with students identified by the school for thirty minutes each week to provide mentoring and read from a collection of books offered by the school’ s media specialist.
Shop with a Cop
Every year, the Garner Police Department collaborates with TT & E Iron and Metal, Inc., and other Garner PAAL is constantly doing outreach at community local businesses to host a Christmas party and events in addition to the organization’ s activities in Garnerarea public schools. area who may not have the means to celebrate
shopping experience for families in the Garner
Christmas otherwise. Thanks to TT & E’ s generosity, these families receive a shopping budget and police officer escorts at a nearby retailer, enabling a Christmas celebration that would not be feasible without this support. Local school counselors help identify families in need. Since the program began,“ Shop with a Cop” has assisted nearly 500 children and their families.
Special Olympics
Raising money for Special Olympics has long been a tradition in law enforcement starting back in 1981, both locally and nationally. Our agency contributes by fundraising and participating in The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics North Carolina. Fundraising events have included Cops on Top, sponsored by Chick-fil-A, pancake fundraisers, and T-shirt sales to the public. The Garner Polar Plunge is also an exciting annual fundraising event organized by members of the Police Department. Additionally, we participate in the torch relay across North Carolina to raise awareness for Special Olympics athletes and to champion the cause of acceptance and inclusion for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In 2024 Garner Police Department raised a total of $ 33,262.69 which placed us 14th out of 122 fundraising law enforcement agencies in North Carolina.
18 GARNER POLICE DEPARTMENT 2024 ANNUAL REPORT