17th Annual Shop With A Cop 2007

We’d like to extend a special “Thank You” to all of our sponsors and advertisers for making this years “Shop With A Cop” another huge success. For the past seventeen years officers from departments around the valley have gathered to grant the Christmas wishes of less fortunate children. The children who participate in this program must meet predetermined criteria and are referred by social service agencies, school teachers, and even officers in the field who see a need.

This years event started early Saturday morning, December 8th. Parents braved the snow to drop their children off at the Little America Hotel. Upon arrival, each child was registered, received their official “Shop With A Cop” t-shirt, and was paired with an officer before sitting down to breakfast.

After breakfast, it was off to the squad cars. The kids rode in style, with lights flashing and sirens blaring as they made their way through town and up the hill to the Parley’s Way K-Mart. This years record setting snowfall may have grounded Santa’s helicopter, but he was able to hitch a ride with Salt Lake City’s Mobile Command Post and arrived at K-Mart in time to greet the officers and their little friends.

Having planned their shopping strategy at breakfast, the officers and kids hit the doors running. Coats, hats, mittens and boots are always a must have, and this year the shoe aisle was standing room only. Even though warm clothes and shoes are the priority, there is always enough money available for toys, and even gifts for siblings and parents.

After the shopping was complete, it was time to visit Santa and Frosty and have their picture taken. From here the kids went to the checkout stands, then on to the volunteers who helped wrap their gifts in colorful paper, ribbons, and bows before they were picked up by waiting parents.

This event is looked forward to by cops and kids alike and has proven to be a useful tool. The benefits of this program are two-fold, historically, the children who participate are socially and economically underprivileged, and most often their only experience with police officers has been negative. So, besides providing warm clothes and toys for these kids, it also provides officers a chance for positive interaction, hopefully giving the kids an alternative point of view.

We work all year long to ensure as many children as possible can attend this program that pairs a child with a police officer for breakfast and then Christmas shopping at K-Mart. So, if you are interested in participating as a volunteer, would like to nominate a child, or have further questions, please contact Rita Adams with the Salt Lake City Police Department at (801) 799-3307.