Back the Blue raffle benefits law enforcement
The “Got Their Six” raffle is making its return this year with proceeds dedicated to supporting local law enforcement.
The raffle is a project of Let’s Back the Blue, a local organization founded in 2020 to promote respect, support and appreciation for law enforcement while building bridges between law enforcement and the community.
Let’s Back the Blue Director Ann Niemeyer explained an early
bird drawing is set for Nov. 6, where four entrants will win
$200. For those who buy raffle tickets before Nov. 6, the early
bird raffle ticket is included. The regular drawing occurs on Dec. 5 with 50 different prizes available with values averaging above
$500. Some of those high value prizes include a PS5, a zero-turn riding lawn mower, a 55-inch TV and $5,000 cash.
Niemeyer said they were able to purchase many of the prizes at cost with cooperation from community businesses.
Through the raffle she hopes to raise about $50,000. Last year’s raffle raised about $30,000.
Tickets can be purchased online for $50 each at https:// letsbacktheblue.org/shop.
For Niemeyer, supporting law enforcement and building bridges also means having discussions with people who don’t have positive views of their local police. It’s one of the reasons she
started the organization.
“I am more than willing to have those conversations with people
in the community whose perceptions of law enforcement are not good,” Niemeyer said. “It doesn’t do us any good to be over here
and them any good to be over there.”
Niemeyer said they were invited to the Auglaize County
Sheriff’s tent at the 2021 fair and had a discussion with an individual for more than 40 minutes.
“He was visibly angry about policing and throwing out to me all the ideas of defunding and police being militarized,” Niemeyer said.
Ultimately they exchanged numbers, shook hands and agreed to continue their conversation.
Area police departments have made use of the organization’s financial support.
In January 2021, Niemeyer sent out a notice to all of the county’s police chiefs, asking for requests that aren’t in their budget.
“We had a $5,000 cap per application,” Niemeyer said. “Some of these, especially the small village police departments, their budget for things is so low they were jumping on the chance to get things.”
As an example, New Knoxville Police received body cameras for department
members which can run $1,200 to $1,300 per camera.
Another request they filled was for a radar equipped speed sign in Waynesfield that cost $3,000.
Let’s Back The Blue is also offering scholarships to county residents who attend one of the area police academies, including Rhodes State College, Apollo Career Center and Wright State University’s Lake Campus.
Niemeyer also wants to start a benevolent fund for officers severely injured or
killed in the line of duty. She said law enforcement deaths nationally have already
surpassed those in 2020, and compares that to claims local officers are experiencing more verbal confrontations during traffic stops.