Burbank is 1,900 miles away from Waveland, Miss, but members of the Burbank Police Department are doing their part to bridge that distance and help the hurricane-ravaged town. The Burbank Police Department has adopted Waveland's 29 member police force and has already sent out 25 boxes filled with much-needed police equipment and clothing with more to follow this week.

"I have a family and I can't imagine losing everything," Burbank Police communications operator Renee De Castro said.

The Waveland Police Department was totally destroyed when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005. Twenty-three of its officers lost everything they owned and all the officers are now working out of a 26 foot trailer DeCastro said. Rather than work through one of the larger relief organizations, where donated items are distributed to the general population areas damaged by Katrina, DeCastro wanted to do something with a more personal touch she said.

"We wanted to concentrate on a smaller department we could have a great impact on," DeCastro said.

Following the hurricane, the Waveland officers used safety pins to attach badges to their t-shirts to identify themselves, she said. A call was put out through the Burbank Police Officers Association for uniforms, protective vests, boots, gun belts, flashlights, batteries, and other police necessities.

"A pick-up loaded with boxes went out Monday morning" Burbank Police Lt. Ron Caruso said. "Every day when you come back there are more."

The boxes are filled with older but usable police equipment, and clothing and other store-bought supplies to help out the officers and their families DeCastro said.

The supplies are the best way to help out because there is no place nearby to shop Caruso said. "There isn't a store within 100 miles," DeCastro said.

Monetary donations to be used to purchase police equipment will be accepted by the department, DeCastro said.

For more information, DeCastro can be contacted at 818-238-3000.