Detroit Police Spread Holiday Joy to Families in Need

Quick Smiles:

• Detroit police bring festive cheer to 25 families affected by crime.
• India Williams, paralyzed by a stray bullet, receives special gifts.
• Officers raise $20,000 to fund the generous holiday initiative.

The Detroit Police Department has once again spread joy to families in need, delivering Christmas gifts to 25 local households affected by crime or special circumstances.

As part of their cherished Sergeant Santa gift giveaway, officers visited homes and a daycare, laden with presents.

Among the recipients was 17-year-old India Williams, who has been in a wheelchair since a stray bullet struck her while she was playing outside a decade ago.

“She got shot outside on a Sunday playing. It was September 14, 2014, and it was a stray bullet that hit her and put her in this (wheel)chair,” her mother, Clinqute Burnett-Davis, recounted.

The family faced further hardship when Burnett-Davis lost her husband in an accident in 2023.

Despite these challenges, the Detroit Police Department has consistently offered their support.

“They have always been in my corner since 2014,” she shared.

Upon receiving her gifts, India expressed her gratitude, saying, “I’m happy that they came.”

Her mother echoed this sentiment, “They bless a bunch of families and I’m so thankful that they do this.”

The heartening initiative was made possible by the department’s successful fundraising of $20,000.

“Nothing makes you feel better as an officer than when you actually see someone really happy or you know you’re doing something to help someone,” officer Dan Robinson Sr. said, reflecting on the impact of their efforts.

Source