Police Fan Out Across Pasadena Thursday, Delivering Hot Thanksgiving Meals

Pasadena police detectives and officers fanned out across the city on Thanksgiving morning on a different-than-usual mission: to deliver hot turkey dinners to those in need, including many elderly citizens in the community who are homebound.

The effort was in partnership with the Pasadena Tabernacle of the Salvation Army, which also held a ‘grab ‘n go’ Thanksgiving meals service as well as a sit-down Thanksgiving Dinner.

Major Roy Wild, the Corps Officer for Pasadena, said the Tabernacle was preparing about 700 meals for Thursday’s events.

“We do all of our cooking, all of our prepping,” Wild said as he stood outside a compact, busy kitchen at the Tabernacle’s headquarters at 960 E. Walnut Street. “We have almost a hundred volunteers that are helping us throughout the day today. Cooking, cleaning, serving, packing — and of course we have about 40 police officers delivering meals.”

Wild said the Tabernacle buys the food it prepares for Thanksgiving.

“The food that we have, we actually purchase. We purchase the turkeys and the yams and all of that,” Wild said, going on to explain the funds come from donations.

“Especially at Christmas time, when you see the kettles and from the stores, all that money that’s raised stays here locally, and that’s what helps us to be able to do what we’re doing today,” Wild said.

Wild said the Pasadena Tabernacle has “a great partnership, the Salvation Army and the police department for Pasadena.”

Many of the off-duty officers brought along their spouses and children to help in the meal delivery and get to understand what helping people in need in the community is all about.

“We believe in family and we have a lot to be thankful for and we want to give back to our community,” said Traffic Section Sergeant Derek Locklin as he and his family lugged backs towards a retirement home to brighten homebound seniors.

“It’s a time to be thankful and give back to others,” agreed his wife, Indira. They were accompanied by their 18-year-old daughter Tatyana and 14-year-old son Josiah.