Poarch Band of Creek Indians Donates $35,000 for Bullet-Proof Vests to Marshall County Sheriff's Office
MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. -- The Poarch Band of Creek Indians presented the Marshall County Sheriff's Office with a gift to help them purchase bullet-proof vests.
Sheriff Phil Sims was presented with two checks of $17,500 from the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and their gaming operation, Wind Creek Hospitality, totaling $35,000. The money will fund bullet-proof vests for 30-35 deputies within the Sheriff's Office.
Earlier in the year, the office sent in a proposal to the tribe about their need for new vests. Magi Thomley Williams, the director of public relations for Wind Creek Hospitality, says that's when they jumped on board.
"The Marshall County Sheriff's Office was in need of some safety vests for all the people who serve and all the people who are out there putting their lives on the line and we heard of the need," says Williams. "The tribe gave me a call and said, 'what can we do here?'"
Sheriff Phil Sims says the donation is a huge benefit for the community. "We are not having to use taxpayer money. We are using money that coming from the Poarch Band of Creek Indians."
To thank the tribe for their generosity, the Sheriff's Office named two representatives honorary deputies.
The sheriff says the office plans on getting bids and making orders for the new bullet-proof vests starting next week.
Lauren Harksen