By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department was out in full force this morning; giving gifts rather than taking people to jail.
The department raised money throughout the year to adopt several people in need.
Sheriff Bill Puett says every year deputies make the gift distribution a sort of spectacle to bring Christmas cheer to needy families.
"For the family, especially those that are struggling and everything else, so usually there's lots of vehicles and lights and those types of things," Puett tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr.
The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department distributed several gifts to families in need that were adopted by the department.
Puett says it's extremely special to get to do something like this every year.
"All of our staff does an excellent job all year, I mean they focus on this, raising money throughout the whole year just so we can try to help some that are less fortunate in the community," Puett explains to KFEQ/St. Joseph Post following the distribution. "And it's a special thing for us to be able to that and help people who just need help this time of year, so we're just really happy to do it."
Puett says the annual distribution is a great effort by many members of the department.
"We just like to do things to help, it's not all about going out and taking people to jail, we like to help people and there's some folks that are just in need of a little help this time of year," Puett says. "So, we were happy we could help some of those folks."
Donning his Santa hat, Puett and several of his deputies and staff hit the streets to hand out the gifts, and even sang carols to help put people in the holiday spirit.
