The Walker County Sheriff’s Office has once again claimed bragging rights in the annual Battle of the Badges blood drive competition.
Results from the 2026 event show Walker County collected 86 blood donations, defeating the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office, which finished with 57 donations.
With this year’s victory, the Walker County Sheriff’s Office has now won the friendly competition 10 of the past 12 years.
While celebrating the win, the sheriff’s office emphasized that the true success of the event was the generosity of the community members who donated blood to help save lives.
“A massive thank you to the incredible donors who showed up to bleed for us,” the sheriff’s office said in a social media post. “Your generosity is the real win here, helping save lives in our community and beyond.”
The office also thanked the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office for participating in the annual rivalry and praised Blood Assurance for organizing another successful event.
The Battle of the Badges blood drive is held each year to encourage friendly competition between the two agencies while increasing the community’s blood supply for patients in need. Officials say they look forward to continuing the tradition when the competition returns next year.