• Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6 and 7 are dates for event.

Major James Thomas from the Wyoming Highway Patrol says the group is honoring the Faith and Blue Event with a food drive.

People can come and donate food Saturday Oct. 7  from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the National Guard Armory in Afton. In the meantime, businesses can donate Oct. 6  from 12 Noon to 4 p.m.  and can receive incentives for donating.

Thomas says they are partnering with churches and other police partners. He says he got the idea to do the food drive from the wife of one of the patrolmen. The Faith and Blue Event is in part about meeting with the public to have more interaction and this presented a good opportunity.

“As we looked at this, I thought it would be very important,” Thomas said. “A good thing for the Highway Patrol to be involved in to help stock our food banks and get donations from those local businesses and community members.

“It’s ever present within today’s economy that there are people out there who are really struggling to try and make ends meet. If there is something we can do to help out with that, I think that’s beneficial for everyone.”

He says the Faith and Blue Program started from the Department of Justice out of the COPS Office. It is centered around community policing. So, in connection with other local departments they are holding some type of event in each of the Highway Patrol’s districts.

Thomas says he will be there at the event along with other sworn members of the police force. He acknowledges that for many people the only interaction with officers are at a police stop or some public education event. This will allow you to ask your questions to officers that you may have.

“Also, if there are any issues within the community, now is a good time to bring them up,” Thomas said. “We can’t be everywhere all the time and so sometimes there are things we just don’t know is going on.”

He says he hopes this event will not only help people understand more of what they do, but learn the partnership that takes place between community members and law enforcement.