Building community connections a major goal, police chief says
On the morning of Jan. 2, Sarasota Police Department officers “celebrated Three Kings Day early by sharing holiday cheer and distributing toys to local children and families during a community event,” the agency has announced.
(Three Kings Day also is known as Epiphany, which is a Christian feast day traditionally marked on Jan. 6.)
The Sarasota event took place at 1500 N. Orange Ave., a news release says. There, officers “handed out toys collected through the Sarasota Police Department’s Toys for Tots drive,” the release notes. The celebration emphasized “positive youth engagement and the department’s commitment to building trust with the families it serves,” the release explains.
The event followed additional toy distributions held in December 2025 at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, with officers from the Sarasota Police Department’s Community Relations Unit present, the release adds.
“This [Jan. 2] event was about more than just toys,” said Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche in the release. “It was about coming together as a community, building connections, and celebrating a cherished tradition with local families,” he added.
Along with receiving toys, the children at the event “enjoyed a morning focused on joy and community, with families spending time interacting with officers and celebrating together,” the release says.
“The event was made possible through generous community donations to the Sarasota Police Department’s Toys for Tots drive, which supported multiple outreach efforts throughout the holiday season,” the release points out.