About 125 children ran up and down the aisles of Walmart early Wednesday in Durango, each with $150 to spend on toys and clothes.
The annual “Shop with a Cop” event is a win-win for law enforcement. It gives families a chance to buy gifts for their children who may not otherwise be able to afford the holidays, and it allows police to be seen in a favorable light rather than figures to be feared, said Cmdr. Nick Stasi of the Durango Police Department.
“We get the ability to build partnerships and relationships with families who may not always have a positive interaction with law enforcement,” he said. “And we love it. It makes us so happy.”
The families are asked to spend about $90 on clothes and $60 on toys. The money can’t be used on gift cards or food. A family with a newborn may want to purchase a car seat or other accessories, which is encouraged. Teenage girls may want makeup.
On Wednesday, one child bought a bicycle. Others bought dolls, roller skates, Nerf guns and video games. Several older children purchased dress clothes.
“Every kid has their own special thing,” Stasi said.
Bayfield resident Dillan Holt has participated in the “Shop with a Cop” event for three years. He and his wife, Samantha Stubbs, took their three children shopping with Acie Patterson, a gaming investigator with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Division of Gaming.
Holt said he works six days a week doing drywall work. The holidays can be difficult financially, when children’s expectations are high, he said.
“We do our own Christmas shopping, too, but it definitely helps out to have a little bit of extra clothes and stuff,” he said.
The “Shop with a Cop” event reinforces that police officers are not to be feared and are a force for good, he said.
“I see it as my kids respecting police officers, especially in today’s world where everyone sees police officers as a threat,” he said.
Patterson said the primary goal is to make sure children have a great Christmas.
“Everybody struggles in one way or another,” he said. “I want to make sure they’re warm and happy, and the parents do a great job of picking out toys and clothes.”
Patterson also said a secondary goal is to build relationships with children and families so they see police officers as humans like anyone else.
“We always want them to know if there’s ever anything going on they can call us,” he said.
Gladys Todeschi, a single mother with five children, said prices are high and it’s tough making sure all of her children have a happy holiday. The “Shop with a Cop” event helps ease some of the financial burden, she said.
“(My children) were really happy and they enjoyed ‘Shop with a Cop’ and had fun,” she said after the event.
The event is sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Police Durango Lodge 8. The organization raises money year-round for the event. Children are on a wait list to participate.
“We’d love to try to find a way to expand it,” Stasi said. “Really, the limiting factor is how much money we can raise each year.”
Local law enforcement will take another 62 children shopping next week at the Walmart in Pagosa Springs, said La Plata County Sheriff’s Deputy Keith McSweeney, who is president of the FOP Lodge 8.
He said the program has been around for about 31 years in Durango, and it brings together about 10 law enforcement agencies to make the event happen.
Anyone interested in donating to the program can do so by visiting durangofop.org or by sending a check to P.O. Box 2172, Durango, CO 81302. Checks can be made out to “Shop with a Cop.”
shane@durangoherald.com
