Col. Mark McDonough, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, has announced that the Georgia State Patrol, the Motor Carrier Compliance Division and the Capitol Police Unit will be participating for the third year in the Toys for Tots program.

He said state troopers, MCCD officers, and Capitol Police officers are teaming with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve for the Toys for Tots program to collect toys to help children in their area.

Collection boxes are being placed at Department of Public Safety locations across the state and will be there until mid-December. Toys being donated to Toys for Tots should be new and unwrapped, and may be dropped off at Georgia State Patrol posts between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays.

Additional collection sites are in the lobby at the Georgia Department of Public Safety Headquarters on East Confederate Avenue in Atlanta and the Capitol Police Services office at 130 Memorial Drive in Atlanta near the Georgia State Capitol.

McDonough said the annual collection drive provides toys to needy children and the Georgia Department of Public Safety is on board to help the local communities. Additionally, he said child safety seat checks are being incorporated into toy collection drives on certain days in the local communities.

“Many of our department members have served in the Marine Corps, and we know firsthand the impact Toys for Tots has on helping others,” he said. “With the addition of child safety seat checks to our community outreach efforts, we hope to not only brighten needy children’s holidays, but keep them safe as well.”