Police officers have donated $1,000 to help families struggling during the Covid-19 pandemic.The serious crimes unit give a $100 grocery voucher to ten families who have been hit by economic hardships.Detective Sergeant Jason Smith, of the SCU, said that the “economic fallout from this pandemic has crippled so many family’s abilities to support themselves” and that they were in dire need of help.He added: “We’re in the same storm but we’re all on separate boats, so with this donation we hope that we can provide some families with relief.”Mr Smith said that the ten families picked had lost family members to gun violence and had struggled to support themselves as a result.He added that, because the SCU kept in touch with them during investigations, they were aware of their circumstances.Mr Smith said: “As a unit, we have seen first-hand the hardships that those families have experienced when their loved ones have been taken away.“As a unit, we’re looking to reach out with benevolence to those families who have in a way been victims of gun crime.”Calvin Smith, who works in the Commissioner of Police’s office, said that the move from SCU was part of a police-wide effort to give back to the community.He explained that each department picked a way to assist vulnerable members of the public.Calvin Smith said: “We see a lot of stuff first-hand and we know some things that we can’t share because we’re police, but like other helping agencies we know some stories where people need some help.“What I did was send out a challenge to the police force to come up with things that they can do within their realm of expertise to render some help in the areas that they’re needed.”Calvin Smith said that the Commissioner’s office will work with Controversy Gym on Victoria Street, Hamilton to help vulnerable boys and men through the gym.He added that the police community effort would continue for the rest of the month.Calvin Smith added that officers were keen to participate in the charity drive.Mr Smith said: “The police are the people and the people are the police — we’re a part of this community just as much as everybody else.”