Shop with a cop

Peace officers group launches new program
Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
Fifty kids from throughout Weston County will have the opportunity to Shop with a Cop thanks to a new program from the Weston County Peace Officers Association. The group was recently selected to benefit from the Pinnacle Bank Festival of Trees, and money from the event will go toward the new program. 
“The Festival of Trees money will be put into the Shop with a Cop account. We believe that this year, being our startup year, that we will have unforeseen expenses,” said Melissa Stubbs, a spokesperson for the association. “We have a little bit of money left over from Operation Santa, and we will help supplement with that. The leftover money from the Festival of Trees will be earmarked for the program in the future.” 
The association went with the Shop with a Cop program at the suggestion of Susan Bridge, chief of police in Upton, who had experience with the program in a previous job. 
“We felt we were not making a very good impact with the children in Weston County through the Operation Santa program,” Stubbs said, noting that the association had done Operation Santa for over 20 years. 
Through the Shop with a Cop program, Stubbs said, children will get more interaction with officers and deputies. 
“The goal is to have that interaction with children and let them know that all officers are your friends,” Stubbs said. “I think it is a great opportunity, and the children will be getting one-on-one time with the officers.” 
The day will begin with a 6 a.m. breakfast provided by the Newcastle Lodge and Convention Center for the children, officers and volunteers. After the buffet-style breakfast, and the checking-in procedures, the children and officers will load into police cars and sheriff’s trucks for a parade around town, according to Stubbs. 
“They get a little parade route with the lights and sirens,” Stubbs said. “Susan said that is really the highlight for the kids.” 
The parade will end at Shopko, where the store will open for the officers and the children to shop. 
“We will pair the children up with an officer or officers, and they will get to spend up to $50 on themselves or shop for their families,” Stubbs said. “The officers can help them pick and choose or make suggestions.” 
A total of 50 kids, from both Upton and Newcastle, will get the opportunity to participate in the program this year. Stubbs noted that this number is less than with the Operation Santa program, which helped close to 300 people, including whole families. 
“Now, we are concentrating on the children, and with this program, there is some responsibility for the parents to fill out the required paperwork, get the children to the lodge by 6 a.m. for breakfast and be available to pick up their child when they are finished shopping,” Stubbs said. “We are trying to concentrate on the children and not so much on the family.” 
According to Stubbs, Shop with a Cop is not the only program the law enforcement group is instrumental in hosting for the area. 
“We have a lot of programs that we work throughout the year,” Stubbs said. “One of those is a scholarship program for anyone interested in law enforcement careers.” 
The scholarship is $400 per semester for adults or teenagers interested in law enforcement careers, she said. The money goes toward their education. 
Another program is McGruff the Crime Dog. The program, according to Stubbs, has several components involving a lot of community education. 
This program involves a community presence at several events, including the Back to School Safety Bash, where the association has a booth and provides crime education to the community. 
The McGruff program also assists with 911 education for youth and providing DNA and identification kits to local families. 
The association is also responsible for purchasing the drug dog used by the Weston County Sheriff’s Office. 
Stubbs said that the association has several fundraising efforts, including its annual fishing derby and gun raffle. 
“We have a fishing derby every year for the scholarship program,” Stubbs said. “At the same time, we hold a gun raffle, usually a Henry Golden Boy. That is a big money-maker for us.” 
She noted that members of the association sell tickets for the month leading up to the fishing derby and the name of the winner of the gun is drawn at the derby. 
The Weston County Peace Officers Association also benefits from the United Fund of Weston County and receives funds from the annual pie auction.