Shop With A Cop
Dozens of Cape Coral children spent Friday morning Christmas shopping – with the police.
The Cape Coral Police Department hosted its 14th annual Shop With A Cop event, which is sponsored by the department’s Do The Right Thing program. The event allows officers to spend some positive one-on-one time with local children whose families are dealing with financial issues, officials reported.
“It’s one of those events that’s really positive,” Cpl. Phil Mullen, a CCPD spokesman, said.
He noted that police officers do not always get to see the positive while on duty.
“It’s something really nice to see the kids happy and make them excited,” Mullen said.
Each year, the department chooses approximately 35 to 40 youth to participate in the program.
“The officers that were assigned to the kids picked them up at their houses in the morning,” he said.
“It was a lot of kids,” Mullen added.
First, they enjoy breakfast at the McDonald’s at Santa Barbara Boulevard and Pine Island Road.
“They’re nice enough to host us,” he said of the eatery.
Then, the teams head to the Walmart on Del Prado Boulevard for a little shopping. Each of the participating children are given gift cards to use toward gifts for their family, as well as themselves.
“They come with lists for their families,” Mullen said.
“We make sure they get something for themselves, too,” he added.
The officers walk around with the youth and assist.
“They’re right there with the kids,” Mullen said. “They help them shop.”
“That’s part of the experience,” he added.
Once the shopping is complete, everyone heads back to the Cape Police Department. There the children are treated to a free lunch of pizza – donated by I Ragazzi Pizza in the Cape – dessert and a movie.
“We have volunteer gift wrappers, as well as the officers themselves,” Mullen said. “They help them wrap up the gifts.”
There is even a visit from Santa, who hands out candy canes to the youth.
“He just kind of came in while they’re wrapping,” Mullen said. “Makes a big show of it.”
At the end of the day, the officers drive the children home with the wrapped gifts.
The participating officers volunteer to take part in the program.
“It’s a blast,” he said. “They have a lot of fun hanging out with the kids.”
Families apply to participate in Shop With A Cop. To quality:
* The child must be available on the day of the event.
* The child must be in kindergarten through 12th grade.
* The child and family must reside in Cape Coral.
Mullen explained that the department always receives more applications than it has spaces.
“We can only take X amount of children,” he said.
Any applicants not picked for the program become a recipient of the department’s annual “Fill The Boat” Toy Drive. Mullen explained that officers bring some of the donated toys to their homes.
“They still get some toys,” he said.
The CCPD’s Do the Right Thing program reinforces the idea of sharing and giving, and promotes the idea that role models of all ages are crucial to the development of our youth, according to officials.