By Madeleine Powell
Staff Writer
The Manhattan Beach Police Department is participating in the Pink Patch Project throughout the month of October, an initiative to support breast cancer research and raise awareness.
The MBPD is one of 66 Los Angeles County police departments participating in this program. Each participating department makes a miniature pink version of their police patches to wear and sell to the public during October.
“Everyone has responded so positively,” MBPD Sergeant Tim Zins said. “People are very happy to see that the police department has taken on the initiative to wear the pink patches and to show that we are in support of helping to find a cure for breast cancer.”
Photos: The MBPD shows support for breast cancer awareness.
The project began in Seal Beach in 2014, and was expanded by the Irwindale PD in 2015. The MBPD wore pink patches to show support in 2015, but did not sell them to the public to raise money. This is the first year they are fully participating in the project by selling the patches.
“Thirty percent of our department had lost family members to breast cancer the previous couple of years,” Irwindale PD Sergeant Rudy Gatto said. “The chief decided that something more needed to be done, so he took Seal Beach’s idea.”
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Through participating in the Pink Patch Program, MBPD is able to help by donating the proceeds from the project and raising awareness within the community. Participating departments can raise between $5,000 and $20,000, and some departments have raised up to $30,000.
Visit this page to see the media release listing the cities participating in the Pink Patch Project.
“Raising money for cancer research is an important part of the Pink Patch Project,” Gatto said. “The other component is educating the public and stimulating conversations with the community about the importance of early detection and early treatment.”
The money that the MBPD raises will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The Susan G. Komen Foundation is a non-profit organization that has donated millions of dollars to fund breast cancer research.
Visit the Susan G. Komen website for information on the organization and its future initiatives.
“We are showing how seriously the police department takes [breast cancer awareness],” Zins said. “We hope the community will take it as seriously, and help raise money.”
Miniature pink police patches and pink t-shirts supporting the project are being sold in the Manhattan Beach Police and Fire Faculty building. Patches are $10 and shirts are $20.
“The police are so prominent in the city and lots of people view them as role models,” senior and Pink Ribbon Club president Lauren Tong said. “It’s really great that they want to spread awareness for breast cancer.”
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