Local law enforcement team up to raise money for injured coworker

JACKSON, Tenn. — Instead of patrolling the streets, some local officers are patrolling the grill — all for their friend and coworker Wendy Pickett.

“Wendy is a special character. She has a huge heart,” said fundraiser organizer Jennifer Knolton. “She’s actually worked for the police department for 19 years. She’s been in the police department though, she started as an intern over 21 years ago. She’s been with us for a long time. We’re her work family, and we don’t want to see her biological family suffer.”

Investigators say Pickett was shot in the head by someone she previously confronted for trespassing in her mother’s vacant property.

That person has now been charged with attempted first degree murder, among other charges.

“She has actually made a miraculous recovery. She still has a long way to go, a long way to go. She’s doing a lot of therapy, but she has improved tremendously compared to what she had started off with. We had such a dire prognosis in the onset,” Knolton said.

The Jackson Police Department, Special Operations, Metro Narcotics, and sheriff’s office all teamed up for the fundraiser, selling breakfast sandwiches, pork loin, and gumbo.

Their goal was $5,000.

“That’s what we do,” Knolton said. “We’re family.”

If you weren’t able to make it to any of the fundraisers for Wendy Pickett, the police department is still taking donations. Just give them a call at (731) 425-8400.

Pickett has also appeared on WBBJ 7 for several years with a local animal rescue organization.