Sarasota police cap holiday giving with toy distribution event

By Observer Staff
| 5:00 a.m. January 6, 2026

Officer Danny Robbins of the Patrol Division, Community Relations Unit with a recipient of a gift during the Sarasota Police Department's Three Kings Day event.

Sarasota
Neighbors

The Sarasota Police Department's holiday season of giving continued in January as officers celebrated Three Kings Day, which is Jan. 6, a few days early by distributing toys to local children and families on the morning of Friday, Jan. 2.

During a community event at 1500 N. Orange Ave., SPD personnel handed out toys collected via the department’s Toys for Tots drive. The event emphasized community connection, positive youth engagement and the department’s commitment to building trust with the families it serves. An additional toy distribution occurred in December 2025 at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex with officers from the SPD’s Community Relations Unit.

Sarasota Police Department Recruit Officer Eric Coley was among the SPD personnel handing out gifts at the SPD's Three Kings Day event.

“This event was about more than just toys,” said Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche in a news release. “It was about coming together as a community, building connections and celebrating a cherished tradition with local families.”

During the event, children received toys and enjoyed a morning focused on joy and community as families spent time interacting with officers and celebrating together. The SPD's Toys for Tots drive supported multiple outreach efforts throughout the holidays. Among those was the annual Shop with a Cop at Target on Dec. 13.