DECATUR - Hunger was under arrest Sunday as Decatur police officers stepped forward to present turkeys and all the trimmings for a Thanksgiving dinner to those who otherwise might go without.

Members of Police Benevolent and Protective Association Unit 39 gathered at the rear of the eastside Wal-Mart to hand out overflowing food baskets.

The officers, liaising with various agencies, worked up lists of deserving families and shopped for 150 names before the money ran out. "We could do 500 food baskets if we had the funds," said Detective Jim Dellert, Local 39 president. "There is a lot of need."

As it was, it took the officers 12 weeks to raise some $20,000, which also is used to fund the Shop with a Cop program - buying toys for needy kids - as well as picking up the tab for the food basket distribution.

Perhaps with a skill borne of crowd control, the police had Sunday's basket dispersal running as smoothly as clockwork. Families lined up behind the store in their vehicles and, handing in bright red cards good for one basket, were loaded with turkeys, pumpkin pie and more at one point and then got a package of bread, rolls, macaroni and cheese and even spaghetti, meat sauce and lots more goodies at another location.

"The baskets consist of a complete Thanksgiving meal and, on top of that, we put in a little something extra to last longer than just Thanksgiving," Dellert explained.

The police hoped the image of them as tough guys looking for trouble would disappear along with the food. "The only difference between us and anybody else in town is that we wear different-colored pants," Dellert said. "We love to help."

The battle for hearts and minds was certainly going well out in the turkey queue. Elizabeth Doneghue and husband William were waiting for a meal that will feed them, their children age 11, 8, 6, and 4, along with her husband's mother, a sister, a niece and nephew. "I was very surprised when I found out cops did this," said Elizabeth, 30.

"And it's wonderful, just very wonderful."

Sadly for the cops, Sunday had a bittersweet taste. While they were all smiles in the food line, many were thinking of Sgt. Rick Jones, who died Tuesday after suffering what may have been an aneurysm. Jones had retired Sept. 28 after 29 years with the department and was on a golfing trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C., when tragedy struck. His visitation was Sunday.

"Volunteering out here today, we've got good spirits but heavy hearts," said Dellert, 45. "We've lost one of our friends."

Tony Reid can be reached at treid@herald-review.com or 421-7977.