Kids Have “Blue” Christmas at Shop with a Cop

By BOBBIE GREEN

The Progress

The Mesquite Walmart was buzzing with kids and cops on Wednesday morning, Dec. 15 as Santa came dressed in blue this year for a few lucky kids in the community. Once again, the Shop With a Cop event put smiles on the faces of local kids this year.

Nearly 70 area kids, who had been identified at their schools as being particularly deserving, and sometimes in special need, were picked up at school by the officers in their patrol vehicles. The officers drive the kids to a local retailer and treat them to a holiday gift shopping spree for them and members of their family.

Funding for the event comes from local donations from individuals and organizations. And sometimes the officers themselves chip in a few funds.

Some shoppers seeing all the activity in the store, like to get into the act as well. Often the officers are approached dur

ing the event by locals wishing to thank them for their efforts and even donate money to the cause right on the spot.

One of these shoppers last week was known only as Rosie. She took the time to personally thank the officers for this important outreach effort. “I am a snowbird here,” Rosie said. “And this just warms my heart to see this kindness.”

Mesquite Police Department Public Information Officer Sergeant Wyatt Oliver said that there were sixty kids being hosted just from Mesquite this year. But there were more than that at the event, he said.

“Las Vegas Metropolitan Police from Moapa Valley and Bunkerville also joined with us at Walmart with kids from their area schools,” Oliver said. “We are all having a great time”

Metro Officer Chris Kohntopp, the event coordinator for the Northeast Resident Section was there with other Moapa Valley officers and about a dozen kids from Grant Bowler a

nd Ute Perkins Elementary Schools.

Kohntopp explained that the Moapa Valley schools had been very helpful in transporting the kids to the Walmart store to meet their local police counterparts there.

Because of scheduling and other issues, two of the officers from the Metro Northeast Resident Section hosted children from Grant Bowler Elementary by taking them shopping at Home Hardware in Overton.

Kohntopp acknowledged community participation and support as the element that makes the Shop with a Cop program work.
“We raised around $3,000 for this event from Moapa Valley businesses and individuals,” Kohntopp said.

“With the difficult times that local business is going through these days that is very generous. Without the community we couldn’t put it on plain and simple. So we appreciate that.”

The shopping trips with the kids are surprisingly thoughtful. Officers often report that their young charges think about more than just themselves during the shopping spree.

“It is amazing to see the kids asking to buy something for their family members before themselves,” said MPD officer David Alejos. “Especially their moms and siblings. There are some good-hearted kids here.”

Little Josue Garcia was concerned that he get some shopping done for his mom first. “She washes my clothes and cooks my dinner,” he said with appreciation.

Some of the officer’s wives came along to help with the shopping, as well as a few city officials.

“This is my second year to join in the Shop with a Cop fun,” said City Councilman Wes Boger who was in attendance. “It is awesome to see the kids wanting to also shop for their siblings and share.”

This year the MPD did not forget the kids who do not shop with a cop. The ‘Santas in Blue’ also filled just under 1,000 Christmas goodie bags and passed them out to the kids in their school rooms.

After shopping both MPD officers and Virgin Valley kids all went to the Elks Lodge for lunch and a photo-op with Santa and Mrs. Claus: the one in a red suit, that is.