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ELKHART – A show of support by Elkhart police officers.
One of their own is facing a life-threatening disease, but he is not doing it alone it.
For dozens of Elkhart police officers, it was a case of four chairs, no waiting.
Each stepped up to have their hair cut Friday, all of it to show support for fellow officer Sergeant Scott Hupp, who also came in for a trim.
Hupp is battling cancer and has been losing his hair from time to time while undergoing chemotherapy.
As a show of solidarity, officers volunteered to have their hair cut off as well.
“When you have a family member that is sick, you know everybody wants to help and do as much as they can, and that’s what’s happened here, as far as this goes,” said Corporal Jason Ray.
The get-together kicked off a series of events the Fraternal Order of Police is holding to support Sgt. Hupp and his family, with money going towards medical bills.
That includes a raffle, selling door prizes and a steak dinner and dance Saturday at Elkhart’s FOP Lodge.
But getting a close shave on top was a personal way to help the effort.
Officers who parted with their hair Friday say it was a no-brainer to take part in the special event, a way to show their support for a fellow officer, who is dealing with some tough times.
“What we do on a daily basis is that we always have to be there for each other,” said Sgt. Wayne Bias. “We never go alone anywhere, and this is just part of it. We wouldn’t let him go alone through this.”
“We always try to help each other out,” added Corporal Anthoney Tweedy. “It’s part of us being in law enforcement. We consider all of our colleagues our brothers and sisters for a reason.”
A fundraiser will run from 2 – 11 p.m. at the Elkhart FOP Lodge on Industrial Parkway in Elkhart.