Chief McKinley: "Thank you Apopka"

From Apopka Police Chief Michael McKinley

Letter to the citizens of Apopka,

Once again this holiday season brought out the best in people and our community.

APD Chief Michael McKinley

One of the things I have learned since joining the Apopka Police Department is that Apopka strongly supports this agency. The response is humbling and cannot be measured. This time of year, we see countless acts of kindness throughout our community and for our police officers.

As a result, the Apopka Police Department is able to spend countless hours giving back to the community. Individuals and businesses donated money and items so that we could provide assistance to those less fortunate. Thanks to these donations this holiday season, we were able to provide gifts to 100 children from Apopka during our annual Shop With A Cop event. In addition, we were able to deliver presents to other children at their homes.

We also were able to give support to Loaves and Fishes - a community organization that provides food and hygiene items to individuals in need. The department returned more than $10,000 from our forfeiture funds to non-profit organizations within Apopka.

I am not sure who gets more from these efforts - the officers or the recipients. I know for me, seeing the smiling faces of these deserving children is the true testament to what giving back is all about. These are only a few of the many outreach projects that Apopka police officers do for the community throughout the year. It would not be possible without the support we receive.

That support goes beyond the community assistance with these projects. It also is reflected in the thanks that officers receive every day of the year. There have been many times that members of the community dropped off food or treats at the department. Often, people just stop by to say, “Thanks for what you do.” These small tokens of appreciation mean a lot. They do not go unnoticed.

As we move to 2018, please continue to show your appreciation of all our local law enforcement officers. They put on the uniform every day to keep us safe.

The men and women of the Apopka Police Department want to say “Thank You” for all your support. We appreciate everything you do for us, and we look forward to serving you in the coming year.