ROGERS, Ark. — "Shop with a Cop" is an annual Christmas event that allows area police officers to shop with children from low-income families.
"We partner with elementary school counselors to identify kids who are in need in our community. This is funded by several organizations and nonprofits in our area that help us fund it," said David Crawford, president of the Rogers Fraternal Order of Police.
Organizers say it's a case-by-case situation and it's not always based on income. Sometimes, it's to build a connection with officers.
"This event is very important and beneficial because a lot of these kids, their first interaction with a police officer has been not so well or maybe they haven't had an interaction with an officer and this is their first one, which is good," Crawford said.
Saturday morning hundreds of kids were paired with an officer to check off their Christmas list.
"When the kids sign up, they were given sheet of things that they need but we're also given a list of things they might want. So, my last group of little kids had Pokémon cards, so they were all getting Pokémon cards but they also had to get socks, underwear, t-shirts, you know clothing, stuff that they'll actually use," Calvin Frierson with Rogers Police Department explained.
I followed a few kids around the store and they told me this is the first Christmas they'd had this many toys.
It's no secret that families across the country are facing economic hardships but police officers say events like these make a difference in the community.
"Especially with the economy going on, parents aren't always to you know provide the necessities that they used to be able to. So, with us being able to give those kids clothes, toys, and sometimes toiletries we can kind of ease the burden on local families," said Frierson.
Shop with a Cop not only gives kids and their families some holiday joy, but the officers as well.
"It makes me feel good being able to give back to little kids, sometimes they don't always have the best things, or sometimes they're in need of clothes or shoes and it feels good to be able to provide that to them in a time of need," Frierson said.
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