Clay shoot raising money for law enforcement

Marksmen will have an opportunity to sport their shooting skills and support their local police during the last weekend of April for Bustin’ for Badges clay shoot tournament.

The tournament is hosted by four local law enforcement agencies in Odessa and Midland: The Odessa Police Department, Ector County Sheriff’s Office, Midland Police Department, and Midland County Sheriff’s Office, who have hosted the tournament for the last five years as a fundraiser for their agencies.

“It’s something we look forward to every year because it helps benefit law enforcement and helps pay for much needed equipment,” OPD Spokesman and Bustin’ for Badges Board Member Cpl. Steve LeSueur said.

The tournament helps raise money, divided equally among the four agencies, which LeSueur said is used to raise funds for equipment and technology, the K9 department, and wherever else it may be needed.

Since the tournament was established in 2014, it has raised more than $1,000,000. LeSueur didn’t have an exact estimate as to how much money has been raised so far this year, but said it has already exceeded the $220,000 the event raised last year.

Bustin’ for Badges raises money through the competitors who pay to register for the tournament. Rather than the police firing off at the clay pigeons, they’ll be working the event. Anyone can register, either as an individual or a team, to compete in the tournament, and the registration price ranges anywhere between $160 for an individual to $7,000 for a team.

Lunch and dinner will also be provided at the event, as well as live music by Kyle Park, and it’s a chance for people to meet and talk with their local police officers.

There will also be a raffle at the event, with the money from raffle ticket purchases also going toward the fundraiser. There will be three prizes given away for the raffle: First prize is a 2018 Polaris Ranger 500 UTV, valued at $9,000, second prize is a Sagebrush 21 gun safe, valued at $2,900, and third prize is a camouflage Howa 308 rifle with a 20-inch barrel, including a scope and bipod, valued at $1,135.

Tickets for the raffle can be purchased for $20 each or six tickets for $100 at OPD headquarters, 205 N. Grant Ave., or by calling OPD at 432-333-3641.

Raffle tickets will also be sold from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. today at Burritos for Badges, an event held ahead of the tournament at various Rosa’s Cafe locations offering the community a chance to meet with their local law enforcement and purchase raffle tickets. OPD will be at the Rosa’s Cafe at Highway 191 and Faudree Road, ECSO will be at the Rosa’s Café at 1701 N. County Rd. West, and MPD and MCSO will be at the Rosa’s Café at 903 Andrews Highway.

Bustin’ for Badges will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27 and from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 28 at Windwalker Farms, 2551 County Rd. C2801 in Stanton.