By Sentinel Staff
The competition is friendly, but the stakes are serious. On Saturday, December 6, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., Greenwich’s first responders will gather at the Public Safety Complex on Bruce Place for the annual Battle of the Badges Blood Drive – a contest between the town’s Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services to see who an collet the most pints of blood for the American Red Cross.
For residents, alumni of the Citizens Police Academy (CPA), and parents of the Youth Citizens Police Academy (YCPA), the invitation is simple: donate blood and choose which department gets your vote.
The Battle of the Badges began locally in 2009 as a way to maintain blood donations during the busy holiday season, when national supplies tend to drop. It was modeled on national Red Cross program that pairs public-safety agencies in lighthearted competition to encourage civic participation. By 2015, Greenwich was marking its seventh year, and participation had grown from a few dozen donors to well over a hundred.
Each December since, the Public Safety Complex has transformed into a hub of activity — the hum of medical staff, the shuffle of boots and uniforms, and the familiar banter between departments that, in emergencies, work side by side. The scoreboard, often a large poster near the entrance, tracks donations as residents check in, roll up their sleeves, and cast their pints for Police, Fire, or EMS.
Chief Heavey’s Leadership
Greenwich Police Chief James J. Heavey has become the event’s most visible advocate. A U.S. Army Reserve veteran and lifelong volunteer, Heavey has donated blood consistently for more than four decades. In 2023, he reached his 100th pint — a milestone the Red Cross highlighted as emblematic of his long record of service.
Heavey’s influence has been practical and symbolic. Under his leadership, the Police Department coordinates logistics for the drive and recruits donors through alumni of the CPA and YCPA programs. His message to residents has remained consistent: blood donation is one of the simplest, most direct ways to save lives.
“It’s about helping people we’ll never meet,” Heavey said at a previous event. “That’s what service looks like — whether it’s answering a call, fighting a fire, or giving a pint.”
Cooperation in Competition
The event’s appeal rests in the blend of rivalry and respect. Police, Fire, and EMS compete for bragging rights — often displayed with a small trophy or photo in the Public Safety lobby — but the larger victory is collective.
Over the years, the departments have used the drive to build camaraderie across their ranks. Firefighters and EMTs recruit family members and neighbors. Police officers bring CPA alumni or fellow town employees. Residents sign up because they know someone who serves.
That cooperation extends beyond the competition. When a blood donor arrives at 11 Bruce Place, they are greeted not by a single department but by a coalition of uniforms and volunteers working side by side. The process — check-in, health screening, donation, and recovery — takes about an hour. Each unit of blood collected can assist up to three patients in trauma care, surgery, or cancer treatment.
In recent years, organizers have emphasized the importance of consistent participation. The Red Cross reports that only about three percent of eligible Americans donate blood annually, and winter months are among the most challenging for collection. The Battle of the Badges helps offset that decline by rallying donors around a visible cause.
Growing Participation and Recognition
Participation in Greenwich has remained steady. In 2022, more than sixty donors participated; the Police Department edged out the competition with 52 pints. In 2023, with Chief Heavey’s milestone serving as inspiration, registration increased again. The event now draws a mix of longtime supporters and first-time donors, some returning annually to see if their chosen team will finally capture the title.
The atmosphere has become part neighborhood gathering, part civic ritual. Photos from recent years show first responders alongside families, retirees, and teenagers — some still wearing their YCPA sweatshirts — sitting in folding chairs as they wait their turn.
Why It Endures
Beyond its practicality, the Battle of the Badges embodies the trust between Greenwich’s publicsafety professionals and the residents they serve. Each department’s mission — to protect life and property — finds a natural complement in the act of blood donation.
For the Red Cross, the drive is one of the most reliable local partnerships in Fairfield County. For Greenwich’s first responders, it is a reminder that their service extends beyond emergencies. And for the community, it is a chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people who answer the calls no one else can.
As Chief Heavey often reminds participants, the scoreboard matters less than the outcome. “When you give blood,” he said, “everyone wins.”
