EAST STROUDSBURG  (AP) — A northeastern Pennsylvania police department is taking to Facebook to help raise money for an officer and father of 11 who is fighting cancer.

WFMZ-TV in Allentown (http://bit.ly/1o2bHVF ) first reported on the appeal Sunday.The Stroud Area Regional Police Department first made the appeal Friday. It says it doesn't normally post such messages on its Facebook site, but it says the family of Ruben Torres is facing costly alternative treatments and needs financial help.The department says Torres has been a police officer for almost 25 years there and is on medical leave. It says five of his 11 children are adopted. Five of the 11 also have Down syndrome and the department says Torres actively supports the adoption of children with Down syndrome.