Police, firefighters face off in ‘Battle of the Badges’ in Topeka

TOPEKA (KSNT)- Local first responders are making saving lives a friendly competition.

The Topeka Police Department (TPD) and the Topeka Fire Department (TPD) competed in the 7th annual “Battle of the Badges.” This friendly competition is a blood drive where community members can vote for a respective team.

For the last two years, Topeka Police have brought home the trophy, but a blood drive director says everyone wins in the end.

“There is a traveling trophy that is awarded to the winning team, but at the end of the day everybody is a winner because we can ensure hospital patients that pints of life saving blood will be on the hospital shelves when they need it the most,” said Jane Blocher, Executive Director of Red Cross Kansas.

Topeka Police won this years’ challenge, bringing home the trophy for the third year in a row. Even though TPD wins the trophy, Blocher said everyone wins in the end.