As one of the more vocal community leaders in support of better pay for Cobb public safety employees, Susan Hampton was expanding a role she began several years ago on behalf of police officers in East Cobb.
Now she’s taking her activism to another level as part of a new initiative, the Cobb Public Safety Foundation, that provides support to county public safety employees and their families.
Hampton has joined the non-profit as a board member, as it raises funds and awareness.
“It’s an opportunity for people to help our public safety employees and their families,” Hampton said.
The money raised goes to those employees who may need help paying the rent, or who are sick, or in distress, or who are dealing with some other kind of physical, emotional or financial need.
The foundation was launched in June by Lance LoRusso, an East Cobb resident and attorney who represents officers with the Cobb Fraternal Order of Police.
He and Hampton were among several citizens who strongly urged Cobb commissioners this year to raise not only salaries but improve benefits and incentives for public safety employees, and called their current situation a crisis.
In the Cobb fiscal year 2020 budget adopted last month, most police officers, firefighters and sheriff’s deputies got a seven-percent raise, and those who got satisfactory performance reviews also received a one-time bonus of $1,475.
The Cobb Public Safety Foundation addresses some of the needs that other public safety advocates mentioned in public comment sessions, including financial and psychological issues.
The pledge the foundation is making to public safety employs who need assistance is this:
“Whatever the call, whatever the need, no matter the danger, the professionals we serve answer the call with a simple response: Here I am. Send me.”
The organization’s board includes some prominent Cobb citizens, including Cobb Chamber of Commerce CEO Sharon Mason and former Cobb Commission Chairman and Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, both East Cobb residents.
“We believe in this so much that we’ve written personal checks to help kick things off,” Hampton said of the foundation board. “We’ll be fully transparent about where the funds are going.”
Contributions are tax-deductible, and a secure online donation page has been launched with the partnership of the Cobb Community Foundation.
Hampton is continuing in her role as an organizer of the East Cobb Public Safety Appreciation dinner, which will be held in October.
It’s a project of the East Cobb Business Association, which is giving Cobb Police Precinct 4 employees and their spouses a night with dinner and entertainment. The ECBA organizes a similar dinner for the full Cobb Fire and Emergency Services department every March.
For information please visit the ECBA website.
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