photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

Capt. Stacy Simmons holds a trophy after the Douglas County Sheriff's Office won the Battle of the Badges Blood Drive in 2018. Simmons has since become the undersheriff.

Douglas County law enforcement and emergency medical crews are encouraging community members to donate blood in the Battle of the Badges Blood Drive this week.

The blood drive is hosted by the American Red Cross and will pit the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Lawrence Police Department and Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical against one another to see who can donate the most blood, according to a post by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on social media.

Officers, deputies and emergency crews are not the only ones donating; the community is encouraged to donate as well. The winner will be determined by how many people donate and who then vote for their favorite agency, according to the post.

“We are most excited about bringing attention to the importance of donating blood, especially during the summer months and with the COVID pandemic and how it has affected blood supplies,” said George Diepenbrock with the sheriff’s office.

This is the fifth consecutive year the agencies have competed in the blood drive, said Jane Blocher with the American Red Cross. The 2021 Battle of the Badges was won by Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, she said.

“DGSO has won in the past, but LDCFM won last year by a very close margin with LPD. It will be interesting to see who wins the traveling trophy this year,” Blocher said.

The blood drive begins Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and continues Friday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, 2104 Bob Billings Parkway. To make an appointment, donors can call 800-RED-CROSS or go to www.redcrossblood.org.