Since its inception, WYAP has had a close relationship with the Westfield Police Department. One of the ways that we have grown this relationship is by attending the annual Jake Laird Day.

About Jake Laird Day:

Jake Laird was a well-respected Indianapolis Police Officer, who was killed in the line of duty on August 18, 2004, when he and four other officers responded to numerous 911 calls reporting gunfire on the Southside of Indianapolis. Jake was fatally wounded when a round from an SKS assault rifle hit him high in the chest above his protective vest.

Officer Laird was a United States Marine Corps veteran who had served with the Indianapolis Police Department for nearly 4½ years and was assigned to the South District. He was posthumously awarded the department’s Medal of Honor and Purple Heart.

After his death, his parents, Mike and Debbie Laird, created The Jake Laird Memorial Foundation to honor their son’s strong desire to serve the public and his loyalty to the police department.

The foundation’s mission is to provide financial contributions to law and fire department agencies for purchasing new equipment, investing in instructional programs, or offering financial assistance to officers injured in the line of duty.

National Night Out or The Jake Laird Community Day as it is known in Westfield, is an annual, national event held on the first Tuesday of August.  The event is designed to bring communities and the police together under positive circumstances.

The Westfield Police Department provides information about police programs with safety demonstrations and exhibits. Other local organizations also participate in the day to inform the public of services available in the community. Visitors enjoy a free hot dog dinner, live music, bounce houses, and free raffle tickets for the chance to win bicycles and school backpacks.

Supporting the Westfield Police Department on Jake Laird Community Day is just one example of how funds from Jake’s Foundation are used to benefit police departments all over Indiana.