Recently Ventura Police Department (VPD) Sergeant Tom Higgins helped coordinate the delivery of approximately 450 pounds of old and previously used VPD uniforms to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), based at the Bronx Zoo in New York, which in turn will be delivered to several National Parks throughout Africa to be used by Park Rangers in an effort to combat wildlife poaching.
As a law enforcement agency with 127 sworn officers, our agency, like countless others across the country, naturally finds itself with a significant turnover in uniforms whether it be from retirements, outdated, change in size, natural wear and tear, etc. Where and when possible we do our best to reuse or repurpose the uniforms. Other times we must dispose of the uniforms in a secure fashion (incineration) so they cannot be used by an individual(s) to pose as a uniformed law enforcement officer.
To this end, approximately five months ago VPD Sergeant Tom Higgins took it upon himself to find a solution and make use of the approximately 450 pounds of old VPD uniforms that had been accumulating for nearly four years. Said Sergeant Higgins, “To me it seemed wasteful to simply dispose of boxes and boxes of old, used, or worn uniforms that we no longer needed.” As a result, Sergeant Higgins began contacting a number of social service agencies and business organizations to see if they had a need for the clothing.
