NRPS 'COMING TOGETHER TO PROTECT AND ALSO CARE'

THE OFFICERS WILL BE AT 12 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT NIAGARA GATHERING DONATIONS OVER THREE DAYS

The increased police presence at Superstore was no cause for alarm.

The officers were at the grocery store participating in their third annual food drive.

The officers were stationed in 12 grocery stores to collect donations for nine different agencies over the course of three days to address food insecurity in Niagara.

Const. Jay McCarthy said the officers participating were from the Community Oriented Response and Engagement Unit also known as CORE. They also add the assistance of 10 auxiliary police officers as well. McCarthy said in addition to the food donations, Post Cereal in Niagara Falls would be donating boxes of cereal.

He said part of the reason he became a police officer was to help the community and interact with them.

McCarthy said the drive gave members of the public from young to older the chance to ask officers questions or engage with them in other ways.

"While we're doing that, we can support the local food bank," added McCarthy.

"This is also an opportunity for us to to help people that are in need."

Const. Jeff Dam echoed the words of McCarthy. Dam said the event is a good way for the officers to engage with the community while helping out a good local cause.

In Grimsby, Ashley Marr, GBF director of programs, said the Superstore and the regional police were both big supporters of the program.

"It's heartwarming that they're coming together to protect and also care for the well-being of the families, and individuals in Grimsby,"

said Marr.

Marr said with the economic crisis — think of increasing food, housing and gas prices — GBF is seeing, "more families come to us

for support."

"It's family that are working. Some of them are working full-time jobs, We have, young adults that are working full-time but also

in school and just all of these extra expenses are just causing things to be a lot tougher and having a harder time to make ends meet," she said.