On Thursday morning, Dec. 22, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office’s Community Services Division remembered homicide victims by giving families some much needed Christmas cheer.
Parents, friends and guardians came one by one on behalf of 23 children to receive presents from the Westside Precinct. Children’s ages ranged from eight months to 15 years old and were provided with several gifts.
After first working in homicide and choosing to purchase gifts for a family who suffered a loss, Lt. Lucas F. Grant began the Unspoken Gift Program in 2017 following his transfer to the Community Services Division.
Since the program’s launch, various businesses have partnered to provide gifts; this year’s program involved over 20 businesses including Macy’s and Walgreens.
Grant said the gifts were designed to be a “blessing” for children during the holiday season, strengthen bonds with families and encourage happiness during a tough time of year.
For victims, Grant said he did not want them feeling like a simple case number among a sea of homicides – he wanted them to know their loss and ongoing grief was acknowledged and valued to those in the community.
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“We know they’re still here, they’re still hurting and they’re still wanting or are in need of someone being there to help them along the way,” he said. “I wanted to be that person. I wanted to help fill a small role as that person.”
Following the homicide of his father in 2020, Grant said the program became an outlet for him to honor his memory by assisting others who have suffered the same type of loss.
“The engagement is the most beneficial thing from this experience … that’s what I truly enjoy from this,” he said.
As families shed tears, thanked the department and hugged police officers, Grant offered words of support and comfort to families on behalf of the county’s Sheriff’s Office.
Grant said most homicides in the area are unfortunately caused by illegal gun possession, which is oftentimes difficult to prevent.
“I wish it wasn’t that way, and I wish he could stop it more,” he said. “But at least we’re able to engage with them and be there for them, while bringing them joy and peace during this time.”
In addition to deterring crime, Grant hopes the program works to fight against police stigma while building the community’s trust to establish stable connections.
“We want each and every citizen of Richmond County to know that we’re here for them,” he said. “We have to make sure we’re using the community to our benefit, because we can’t do our job without them. They can’t keep the community safe without us, so it’s a team. We go hand-in-hand.”
Grant also said people frequently have negative preconceived notions regarding law enforcement, and believe them to be a public enemy. However, he said officers understand that everyone makes mistakes, sometimes ones that require a sentencing, but that does not mean they view the entire person as “bad” or less than.
“It is our job to educate and be there so that we can deter repeating crimes,” he said. “But law enforcement isn’t perfect. We are human too, and we make mistakes as well.”
On behalf of her daughter, Karen Brown accepted gifts in memory of her child’s father who died six months ago.
Brown said she was grateful for the program because the gifts would help ease a financially difficult time for the family, and would be an enormous surprise for her daughter.
“[This] means the world, because her dad was everything to her,” she said. “Even with this tragedy that has occurred, it means the world that Richmond County thought so much of him to be able to help my family.”
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Brown said county law enforcement’s support had an enormous impact on her family, because it made them feel less alone in their grief.
“You feel like you don’t have anyone else and you just feel like you’re in a situation by yourself, and it’s good to know that Richmond County does have this program to uplift us during this difficult time of year,” she said. “This was a much needed surprise … [my daughter] will be so happy to know that she received some things from someone in lieu of her father.”
For Brown’s nine-year-old daughter, the program’s generosity will lead to easing her grief during the first Christmas without her father.
“It’s a very powerful impact. Each family, whether an adult or a child, receives because they know that we care outside of our job. We see them for the humans that they are – the people that they are,” said Grant.
Liz Wright is a staff writer covering education and general assignments for The Augusta Press. Reach her at liz@theaugustapress.com
