‘Back the Blue’ raffle returns
The “Got Their Six” raffle has returned for its second year, with proceeds going directly to support local law enforcement.
The raffle is being held by Let’s Back the Blue, a grassroots organization that began in 2020, to show their support for law enforcement.
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 LetsBackTheBlue.org/shop.
Niemeyer said the organization became incorporated right before COVID-19 hit in
March, but they were still able to have a very successful year.
The group raised nearly $50,000 with the proceeds going back to Auglaize County.
The money goes toward scholarships for Auglaize County residents attending Peace Officer Training Academies at Wright State University – Lake Campus, Rhodes State and Apollo Career Center as well as disbursement from its Law Enforcement Grant Fund to different Auglaize County law enforcement agencies and public outreach activities in conjunction with the Auglaize County Commissioner’s Office, the Auglaize County
Sheriff’s Office and the Wapakoneta Police Department.
Also with the money, the group purchased a training simulator for Wright State with the intent of it being used by agencies in Auglaize County as well.
“The neat thing about that simulator is they can do software updates so when I have our investment totally complete from donors around the county, all of their names will appear on it,” said Niemeyer. “This is a simulator that is, let’s face it, if there’s
any problems with law enforcement it usually boils down to training. They get trained in academy and if they have to have budget cuts, it usually starts with the training and that kind of stuff. This is a simulator — it’s big on scenario training. You have all these different scenarios and they can be applied to small departments, large departments.”
She said that officers in the county will encounter the same things that police face in bigger cities, not just as regularly.
“This is a scenario trainer and they are going to loan it out to our guys in Auglaize County,” she said. “If it’s a good thing and something our agencies will use, then in the future
I’d like to purchase a couple.”
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.
“Hopefully we’d be able to raise enough money. We had a state trooper who was hit head-on on [U.S.] 33 last summer and we had a state trooper get shot on I-75 and an officer was recently shot in Sidney,” she said.
She said that while police officers jobs were already stressful enough, it hasn’t gotten any easier in the last year.
According to statistics from the FBI, law
enforcement officers feloniously killed in the first nine months of 2021 represent a 45.9% increase compared to the number of officers killed during the same period in 2020.
“They were vilified. It was really a tough time to be a cop,” she said. “Now, even with our small village chiefs — I had two chiefs tell me — you pull somebody over, they’re speeding and there’s just confrontation that didn’t used to happen. People are more emboldened to act out to where it’s easier for them to shoot a cop or get out and fight a cop or whatever, that didn’t happen before.”
The mission of Let’s Back the Blue is to bring law enforcement and he communities they serve together by encouraging respect, support and appreciation of law enforcement and their efforts.
The organization has a list of ways to be involved to support local law enforcement.
One pathway for involvement is to consider signing up for the Citizens Police Academy run by the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office during the winter.
The program allows area citizens an opportunity to learn firsthand how the sheriff’s office operates.
Other ways including send a note of appreciation to law enforcement, posting support on social media, sponsoring a prize for the raffle or help sponsor their 5K run and Little Cop 1-Miler, becoming a “Let’s Back the Blue” patron and much more.
Remember, tickets for the raffle can be purchased online for $50 each at LetsBackTheBlue.org/shop.