In Blood Drive 'Battle,' Edina Police Think of Officer Saved by 120 Pints

In 2012, the Edina Police Department out-bled beat out Anoka County and Minneapolis to place first in the "Battle of the Badges" blood drive, donating more than 65 units of blood, enough to save the lives of about 180 people.

This year, the department looks to prevail again, and it’s sponsoring a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 1 in the city council chambers.

The issue is personal for Edina police. A little over a decade ago, a 52-year-old Edina cop had his right leg nearly shot off by an assailant with an assault rifle, eventually recovering with the help 120 pints of blood.

"About 15 gallons of blood saved Officer Mike Blood when he was gravely wounded after being shot by a bank robber in 2000,” said Edina Police Sgt. Kevin Rofidal in a statement. “It was the Edina community that rolled up their sleeves in support then. Now residents can support their neighbors."

The appropriately named police officer later appeared with his wife in ads promoting blood donation.

One out of every three people need blood at some point in their lifetime, according to the Memorial Blood Center, which sponsors the Battle of the Badges blood drive.