LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
Not many children dream of walking down the aisle of a store chatting with a police officer or asking a firefighter which shoes will help them run faster. But for many children in Edgar County, shopping with a cop is an event they look forward to every year.
For 32 years, the Paris Police Department and Paris Police Association have raised funds to take local schoolchildren shopping for essential clothing items like jackets, shoes, socks and new school clothes around Christmas time. In 2022, the event benefited 201 children in need, and in 2023, 271 local children participated. This year, nearly 300 children shopped at the Paris Walmart for clothing essentials alongside a friendly face at 7 a.m. on Dec. 14.
“This is the second time we have done this and to see the happiness that comes to their faces when they get to shop with like an officer, or a firefighter is just really cool,” a parent told a Prairie Press reporter while waiting in line. “It is kind of like a big start to Christmas … they get coats and boots and whatever they need and we get to see the good guys. They get a reminder of who the good guys are.”
School-aged children are nominated by their respective schools. The schools hand out the appropriate paperwork and keep in touch with the police department to keep a running head count. Students receive $150 worth of clothing items during the shopping trip and infant siblings of students who qualify can also receive up to $125 worth of clothes.
Funds for the annual program are collected throughout the year with multiple fundraisers and generous donations from community members. Donations are open year-round and are always needed.
As the program welcomes more underserved children each year, the need for more funds and more volunteers continues to grow as well. This year, youngsters had the opportunity to shop with more than just law enforcement officers. Paramedics, firefighters, pageant queens, elected officials, teachers and principals were on hand, among a slew of other eager volunteers.
According to Kansas Police Officer Doug Cochran, the program benefits more than just the children. The shopping trip is a great way for kids to see law enforcement officers and first responders in a positive light.
“Unfortunately these kids don’t always have to opportunity to see officers as the good guys,” Cochran said. “Today we get to be the good guys and work one-on-one with them. It doesn’t just mean a lot to them, it means a lot to us too.”
For volunteers like EMS Manager Adam Webb, the yearly opportunity is a great opener to the holiday season, highlighting a moment of goodness and childhood magic.
“It is something we volunteer for and look forward to every year,” he said. “The kids are really, really great.”
The children involved in the program had their own idea of what the best part of the early morning was, and surprisingly, it was not the money they were allotted for whatever clothing they selected. It most definitely is not the time spent in line, skipping breakfast, the crowds or even a trip to town either.
“My favorite part was pushing the cart, it was kind of like driving and my mom won’t let me drive the cart a lot, or the car either,” a youngster excitedly said, declaring the officer she walked with as her new best friend. “I got a lot of new stuff and a Grinch sweater.”
“I really want to be a firefighter when I grow up. It was cool to talk to one and I guess it was fun to talk to him,” another young shopper commented.
“I don’t like getting up early,” one sassy shopper told a Prairie Press reporter. “I guess it's okay today because now I have new shoes and I really needed new shoes and my new shoes are pink. I also got to high-five Leo.”
Other children noted the high-fives they received, new friends they made, special conversations they had or the ways the undivided attention made them feel important. Several remarked about the smiles on their parents’ faces in the store or new items they were excited to wear to school on Monday.
“I think it is pretty cool to see that these cops are just regular people like us,” one excited young lady said. “I got to shop with a lady cop and she was really funny and nice. I would like to be like her when I grow up.”
For more information on Shop With A Cop or to donate toward youth events including next year’s outing, contact the Paris Police Department at 217-465-6351.