LYNN — The North Shore Community College Police Department (NSCC PD) hosted its third annual Toys for Tots Stuff a Cruiser event on Tuesday to gather donations for the holiday toy drive.
This year, the NSCC PD partnered with the campus’ Veterans Services for the event, which is taking place at the campus’ Lynn and Danvers locations.
The Marine Corps Reserve started Toys for Tots in 1947, according to the foundation’s website. The foundation has donated 677 million toys to more than 301 million children since its inception 77 years ago.
Instead of parking their police cruisers in front of retail or grocery stores, NSCC PD Deputy Chief of Police Kevin Marshall said the department parks a cruiser on campus to involve the students and community. Each year, the department fills two to three police cruisers with toys on the day of the event.
Marshall said he does not have a favorite part of the event, but looks forward to the end of the day when he can see all of the toys together.
“That’s always reassuring for me that we’re doing something good,” he said.
Community engagement is a major aspect of Chief of NSCC Police David Cook’s goals and it is important to see officers engaging with students and with one another, Marshall said.
“The reaction that you get from the communities just makes it all worthwhile,” he said.
Toys for Tots donation bins will be located at both entrances of the NSCC Lynn campus for the remainder of the week.
