January 22, 2015: Battle of the Badges Blood Drive

The Redondo Beach Police Department, along with the American Red Cross and the U.S. Probation Office Central District of California, will host a blood drive later this month as part of the annual Battle of the Badges Blood Drive.

The drive, which occurs during National Blood Donor Month, pits public safety and law enforcement against each other to see who can rally the most people to donate blood, according to the Red Cross.

“The Battle of the Badges blood drives began in 2007 in Southern California as an opportunity for badge-carrying personnel to help hospital patients in need through a friendly competition,” according to the organization. Since then, “the program has become the nation’s largest and most successful law enforcement blood drive.”

The Redondo Beach blood drive is scheduled for Jan. 22 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Bloodmobile will be parked in the RBPD station lot, located at 401 Diamond St. in South Redondo Beach.

Participants will receive a Battle of the Badges T-shirt, two VIP tickets to the Laugh Factory, one free Clippers ticket with the purchase of a $20 ticket, and a discounted ticket offer for either an Anaheim Ducks game at the Honda Center or a Los Angeles Kings game at the Staples Center, according to a news release from RBPD.

Eligible donors can schedule an appointment to donate by visiting redcrossblood.org and entering sponsor code BADGESOCAL.