Funds are being raised for the family of a Saline County Sheriff Deputy who passed away last week. 39-year-old  J.W. Martin III died May 2nd.

Martin graduated from Nickerson High School in 2004 and the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center in 2015. He was a patrol deputy for the Saline County Sheriff’s Office for over 10 years.

The Salina Guns & Hoses organization released the following via social media:

“The Saline County Sheriff’s Office lost a brother last week. This type of loss doesn’t only affect his law enforcement family; all 1st Responders feel something like this. We are all on the same team – whether you’re law enforcement, fire, EMT, dispatchers, and military.”

After contacting Martin’s  family, Salina Guns & Hoses will be accepting donations for his daughter Judy and her family. Donations can be made at any Bennington State Bank location. Simply tell them you’d like to make a donation to Salina Guns & Hoses for the Judy Martin Memorial. You can also contact the organization on Facebook or send an email to [email protected] and they make arrangements.

Salina Guns & Hoses will match all donations up to $1,500. The Saline County Sheriff’s Office Fraternal Order of Police Lodge is also teaming up for a donation match as well.

The organization says not only are they prepared to help Judy and her family, Judy’s mother has requested that they look into the current officer mental health awareness process. The organization says “if we can help save even one officer by making it easier to get help, then we would have succeeded.”

Guns & Hoses concludes “May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s a time dedicated to raising awareness about mental health, reducing stigma, and encouraging individuals to prioritize their mental well-being.”