Stevens Point Police Chief Bob Kussow, Sheriff Mike Lukas, Lt. Joe Johnson from SPPD, and Deputy Matt McDonald, share a laugh on Dec. 2, 2022, just before a presentation explaining the Lights of Christmas program. (Metro Wire photo)

‘Police Lights of Christmas’ campaign yields big bucks for local giving

December 16, 2022

By Brandi Makuski

Twice a year, local law enforcement takes over for cooks and servers at local restaurants to help raise funds for those less fortunate.

It’s called Police Lights of Christmas, a DePere-based organization that raises funds to purchase gift cards for officers to distribute to the public. According to the group’s website, 55 law enforcement agencies participated in 2022.

Sheriff Mike Lukas said as a whole, the group raised about $165,000 in donations. In Portage Co. officers from the PCSO and police departments in Stevens Point and Plover brought home $9,000 in gift cards plus donated care packages.

It’s an increase from 2021 when local agencies brought in $7,000 in donations.

It’s the fourth year that Portage Co. has been involved in the fundraiser. Officers donated their time in July at Pizza Ranch in Plover, and again in October, at the Hwy. 10 location of Culver’s in Stevens Point.

“The officers come in and wipe the counter, deliver food, do dishes, and basically take over for the staff, do whatever needs to be done,” said Stevens Point Police Chief Bob Kussow. “The money we receive is divided up amongst all the departments and goes back into the communities.”

Lukas said representatives from most of the 55 departments gathered in DePere in November to compile over 1,000 care packages containing winter hats and gloves, socks, and toiletries. Portage Co. brought home about 60 of those packages, contained in cloth bags, to hand out to people in need they encounter while on patrol.

Along with the bags, Portage Co. officers brought home $9,000 in gift cards to Walmart, Target, Culver’s, and Kwik Trip. Lt. Joe Johnson from SPPD said many will likely go to needy residents officers encounter on the job, or to children in local schools, but some of those cards will wind up in the hands of unsuspecting motorists, as well.

“We try to encourage our officers to hand these out to people they see on the street, anybody they think might be in need of these things,” Johnson said. “But we also ask them to use their imagination as well—last year we had some handed out on traffic stops, with a gift card and a warning, and a ‘Have a nice day.’ It’s a positive contact with the community and that can move mountains.”