Sgt. Theresa Skinner, of the LAPD’s Pacific Division, donated during the fifth annual LAPD blood drive competition. (photo courtesy of Cedars-Sinai)

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center has announced that the Los Angeles Police Department’s Pacific Division has won the 2019 Operations-West Bureau Blood Drive Competition.

Six LAPD divisions (Hollywood, Wilshire, West Traffic, Olympic, Pacific and West Los Angeles) competed to register the most blood donors in the fifth annual blood drive competition. For the third consecutive year, the Pacific Division won the contest, this year registering 45 donors.

Overall, the competition registered 168 donors and collected 150 units of blood, an 11% increase in registrants over 2018. The competition was held during a critical time during summer when blood donations are traditionally at their lowest. Sgt. Kevin Lowe, of the Pacific Division, said officers know first-hand about the importance of maintaining the blood supply. Personnel at the Pacific Division will receive a luncheon hosted by Cedars-Sinai’s Blood Donor Services.

“If someone gets hurt, we need to have a blood supply to help anyone in need of blood, so we invite everyone we know, officers and civilians, to come out and donate blood,” Lowe said.

A single blood donation can help save the lives of two people. Each year, Cedars-Sinai patients receive transfusions of more than 30,000 units of red blood cells, 7,000 units of platelets and 11,000 units of plasma.

The LAPD is a longtime supporter of Cedars-Sinai Blood Donor Services, participating in numerous blood drives. For information and to donate, visit cedars-sinai.org.