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Success! First Annual Shop with a Cop
Success! First Annual Shop with a Cop
Post Date:12/18/2017
| “Early impressions make lasting impressions.” This expression is most especially true with our youth, and it is for this reason the Creedmoor Police Department launched its inaugural Shop with a Cop day on Saturday, December 18, 2017. The department hosted 14 local youth who had been nominated by local pastors and principals. Early Saturday morning, the youth met at city hall and trekked off to Walmart of Oxford to spend approximately an hour shopping. After shopping, the group gathered at First Baptist Church of Creedmoor to eat lunch, wrap the gifts they purchased for their family members, and visit with Santa Claus. “The day was a tremendous success and was possible only because of the generosity of our community partners and generous donors. A special thanks is owed to First Baptist Church of Creedmoor, Fellowship Baptist Church, Roma Pizza, Creedmoor Events Coordinator - Angie Perry, Pastors David Richardson, Nick Garner, Buddy Ritter, my tremendous CPD team, Walmart of Oxford, and most especially CPD Lieutenant Tommy Wallace for making the day such a success. It was extremely rewarding to see the smiles on the faces of the young boys and girls. With the continued support and donations from our community, we look forward to hosting an even more successful event next year,” stated Chief Keith King. |
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| Shop with a Cop Background Information |
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| The Shop with a Cop program is designed to foster positive relationships between youth and officers while supporting families in the community who are in need during a season where all should experience some joy. Just prior to the holiday season, youth (K – Grade 6) are nominated and selected to shop and purchase gifts for themselves as well as for members of their immediate family; during this first year, the police department received nominations from Creedmoor faith-based leaders and Creedmoor Elementary School. Each selected child is provided with a predetermined amount of shopping money based on the size of the child's immediate family and funding availability. The children are assigned to a police officer who accompanies them around the store and assists in selecting appropriate gifts for themselves and their family. After the shopping is done, the children continue to get to know the police officer while eating lunch and wrapping their gifts together. To make this first year possible, Chief King requested all funds received through the department’s annual police calendars be allocated for Shop with a Cop. Additionally, the City pledged donations received through the annual Christmas Parade entries be utilized for the program. The police department, with the assistance of City Hall, will continue to seek sponsorships and donations throughout the year through the Shop with a Cop PayPal donation link already established. All program operations will be accomplished through staff and community volunteers. The root of any successful police department begins with the community. In today’s environment, some communities are experiencing severely strained relationships between the citizens and the police department. Creedmoor is very fortunate to have strong community interaction and support all across the city. However, this is not by sheer luck; the interaction and support we enjoy today has come from several years of community outreach through efforts like: National Night Out on Crime, Citizen’s Police Academies, Open Gym Nights, First Fridays, Main Street Trick or Treating, and countless other city-lead events. Shop with a Cop is merely one more way our city and police department demonstrate the belief in ‘Early and Often’ interaction with our community and, most importantly, our youth. Visit Shop with a Cop to learn more or become a sponsor. |
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