A scholarship fund established in honor of fallen Daytona Beach Police Officer Jason Raynor will assist future sworn members of the Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD) in paying for their education and training.
The bank account for that fund was recently created with money donated to Officer Raynor and his family soon after he was shot in the line of duty on the evening of June 23, 2021, according to Police Chief Jakari Young.
“This generous gift ensures that this hero and his story will never be forgotten,” Young added. “We hope this will inspire future generations to wear our badge with pride and serve our community as bravely as Jason did.”
Officer Raynor fought valiantly for nearly two months before succumbing to his injury on August 17, 2021.
Between the time Officer Raynor was shot and when he passed away, hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised to help cover his health care and other associated costs. Most of those funds came through a GoFundMe page. The rest came from various fundraisers and members of the public who donated that money directly to DBPD.
In the wake of Officer Raynor’s passing, his immediate family – who received those donations on his behalf – decided to use some of that money to establish this scholarship in the hopes that it will ease financial pressure for those who wish to become Daytona Beach police officers.
“Our decision was based on Jason’s determination to enter into law enforcement academy training and other educational goals he accomplished in order to realize his dream of being a police officer without family assistance,” stated Todd Raynor, Jason’s father. “Jason often worked two or three jobs at a time while also completing his studies. We felt it was appropriate to assist future Daytona Beach police officers in a similar situation so that they can focus on their career instead of having to worry about how to pay for it all.”
The scholarship will only be used for those who wish to become sworn members of DBPD and graduate from an accredited law enforcement academy. Certain requirements must be met before that money is distributed.
HOW TO APPLY: Email our Recruiting Office or call (386) 671-5407.
HOW TO DONATE:
1) Mail a check or money order (payable to the "Officer Jason Raynor Scholarship Fund") to the following:
Daytona Beach Police Department
ATTENTION: Office Of The Chief
129 Valor Boulevard
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
2) Online Portal *
* An account with the City of Daytona Beach is required for this option
3) If you would like to do something else, please email the Office Of The Chief or call (386) 671-5102.