Yesterday in Livermore, police officers traded traffic stops for shopping carts, teaming up with student volunteers and local businesses to wrap presents and hand out holiday gift cards as part of the department’s annual Shop With A Cop program. Photos shared by the department show uniformed officers, student leaders and community members packaging cards, serving breakfast and walking the aisles with students as they picked out gifts. The event pairs students in need with officers and is designed to give local families a little extra support during the holidays.
Community Partners And Volunteers Step Up
According to a post by the Livermore Police Department, gift cards came from Walmart and Safeway, with the Livermore Police Officers Association and Three Valleys Community Foundation helping make the distribution possible. The department also thanked student leaders from Granada and Livermore High, along with the Granada High band, for wrapping presents and greeting shoppers. CHP Dublin, the Starbucks on Portola and a corps of police volunteers rounded out the roster of helpers.
How Shop With A Cop Works In Livermore
The program matches officers with LVJUSD students who are identified by school staff and gives each child money to buy gifts for both their families and themselves, according to the campaign’s GoFundMe page. Past coverage shows officers typically meet students at their schools, escort them to a nearby Walmart where they shop with an allotted amount, then return for breakfast and a wrapping session organized by the department and student volunteers, as described by Patch. Organizers say the outing helps build positive contact between youth and local law enforcement, which is part holiday field trip and part relationship-building exercise.
Cards, Breakfast And A Crowd Of Kids
The department’s post said the drive provided gift cards intended for about 70 local students, while images from the day show roughly 40 students shopping alongside officers, according to the Livermore Police Department. Photos highlight breakfast served by the Livermore Police Officers Association and volunteers carefully wrapping cards for distribution. Those small touches, like a live band, sweet treats and a warm meal, helped turn a basic shopping trip into a celebratory morning for students and their families…