Seattle officers pay for 9/11 commemorative badges with own money

Seattle police officers will be wearing commemorative badges honoring those lost in the 9/11 attacks.

About 400 officers purchased the badges, paying the $85 themselves. The badges will be worn throughout the month of September. There also were 550 lapel pins sold to Seattle officers – roughly half of the commissioned police force.

Of the $85 badge cost, the proceeds -- $25 -- go to Beds for Kids, a program started by two Seattle officers that gives beds to children who need a place to sleep, department staff said.

The Beds for Kids program was started in 2014 after officers Ryan Gallagher and Jeremy Wade responded to a 911 call and found two girls had been sleeping on the floor. The returned to the home after using their own money to buy the girls new beds at IKEA.

The 9/11 badges and lapel pins are expected to raise $14,000, department spokesman Jonah Spangenthal-Lee said. Beds for Kids is planning to buy at least 100 new beds with those funds.

Cox Media Group