Hattiesburg Police Department’s Special Victims Unit, in partnership with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Grace Temple Church, hosted their tenth annual Christmas party on Monday for four families with children who lost loved ones or were victims of homicide or domestic violence in 2025.
Families enjoyed a catered hot lunch with officers while listening to the biblical Christmas story as read by Marcus Laird, a pastor from Grace Temple Church. Families were then led into the lobby of the public safety complex where Santa Claus and large stacks of presents, picked specifically for each child, waited for them.
“The holidays remind us that giving back to the victims isn’t just about helping others- it’s about belonging to something bigger,” said HPD detective, Lt. Chadra Daniels. “During the holidays, supporting the victims’ children means offering more than just gifts to the HPD Detective Division. It’s showing our continued comfort, support, sense of belonging, that kindness still exists, and their future is filled with people who care.”
