On Saturday, March 24, the Cedar Park Police Department and Senior Reporting Officer David Rodriguez will be shaving their heads to raise money for cancer research.

This event, known as St. Baldrick’s Day, was originally created by a group of businessmen in Manhattan, but quickly spread throughout the U.S. Adopted by CPPD four years ago, officers within the department have been shaving their heads for children’s cancer research every year since.

This year, the Williamson County Sheriff Department and CPPD have come together to form a competition out of the St. Baldrick’s event. Each team has set a goal of $5,000 on the official St. Baldrick’s website and the first to achieve this goal will be proclaimed the winner of the friendly competition this year. SRO Rodriguez, who has participated in several St. Baldrick’s events in past years, believes that this event is a fun and unique way to help those in need.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a great way to generate money for the cancer research for the kids, and basically get more citizens involved and aware of what’s going on and to open their eyes that [cancer] is not just happening to older people, it’s happening to younger adults and children.”