KILLEEN, Texas (Aug. 8, 2025) – The seventh annual Battle of the Badges Blood Drive received 191 donors on Aug. 7, including 111 first-time donors, marking a significant increase in community participation.
The event was held at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center in partnership with Carter BloodCare.
Carter BloodCare collected 181 units of blood from the 191 donors – enough to potentially save more than 400 lives.
The numbers represent a substantial jump in participation compared to the 2024 Battle of the Badges Blood Drive, which saw 121 donors (57 first-time) and collected 106 units.
Each year, the Killeen Police and Fire Departments engage in a friendly competition to see which can inspire more residents to donate blood and vote for their favorite department.
For the third consecutive year, the Police Department earned the most votes, winning 93-84. Traditionally, the department with fewer votes must wash the vehicles of the winning department. Details for the car wash will be announced later.
According to Carter BloodCare, Killeen’s Battle of the Badges Blood Drive is the largest single-day event of its kind in Central Texas. All blood collected remains local, including supplies for the Veterans Administration Clinic.
The Police Department has now claimed victory in 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025, while the Fire Department was triumphant in 2021 and 2022. However, there are no real “losers” in this lifesaving battle as the ultimate goal is saving lives and bringing hope to the Central Texas community. Since these two departments share this common goal, the opportunity to partake in the Battle of the Badges Blood Drive is an even more meaningful occasion for them.
The City of Killeen and Carter BloodCare thank the community for their support and courage in helping save lives, and welcome citizens to participate in future blood drives.