(Riverton, WY) A new community group aimed towards supporting funding all Fremont County law enforcement agencies will be introduced during the public comment portion of the next Riverton City Council held tomorrow evening, Tuesday, January 16 at 7:00 p.m.
The Fremont County Law Enforcement Foundation (FCLEF) was formed by community members of Step Up Riverton, out of which its board members came together and created a 501c3 with the mission and objectives of providing grants and holding fundraisers to assist with a wide range of funding which will include the purchase of equipment, vehicles, tools, and non-contractual hiring costs for all Fremont County law enforcement agencies.
“Law enforcement is constantly needing equipment, and it is usually expensive,” said FCLEF President Brett Johnson. “We hope to help these agencies with a source of funding to keep our officers and deputies safer with the equipment they need. The (FCLEF) board members do not financially gain anything for themselves…this is 100% volunteer and all of the money is used for local agencies.”
“Fremont County is the largest county in Wyoming with a very high crime rate,” said FCLEF Vice President Tami Marshall. “Working together as a community to assist our law enforcement will make our county a safer place for ourselves, our children, and people wanting to visit. FCLEF is dedicated to aiding our law enforcement agencies to make their day-to-day lives easier, and to let them know we appreciate them and have their backs. Our hope is that we can rally together to provide some financial ease and to display our gratitude for each law enforcement officer.”
The public can join FCLEF’s Facebook group; those who wish to make a donation to the fund can visit their website and donate via PayPal or Zeffy. Both donation platforms offer one-time donation or monthly donation options.
The FCLEF board is also in the planning stages of holding a formal benefit event, “Ballgowns and Badges” tentatively scheduled for May of this year. Those who are interested in volunteering should join the public Facebook group or email [email protected].
“We recognized a need to fund law enforcement agencies in our county,” said FCLEF Secretary Natasha Hatfield-Peck, who had addressed the mayor and council in their September 5, 2023 meeting. “We had learned that the [Riverton] Police Foundation was no longer active and made a plan to create a foundation to benefit and fill in gaps that law enforcement budgets can’t provide…I’m excited about this because I truly believe this is a grassroots movement, and with that comes community cohesiveness, where citizens feel invested in their community. FCLEF’s mission is to assist all Fremont County law enforcement agencies. We want to advocate for our officers; we want full and equipped agencies to protect and serve. We want our officers to be safe and protected while on the job.”
To tune into Riverton City Council meetings, visit the city’s YouTube Channel at youtube.com/user/CityofRiverton.