21 Students Participated in the Baker City Police Department’s Shop with a Cop Event
By Joe Hathaway on Tuesday, December 19th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
BAKER CITY – (Release from the Baker City Police Department) On December 8th, 2023, Baker City Police Department hosted the highly anticipated Shop with a Cop event, the first since 2019. This nationwide program strives to build positive relationships between law enforcement officers and youth in their community. Students in grades 3-5 were chosen by Baker 5J School District staff to participate.
Law enforcement personnel from Baker City Police Department, Baker County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police and the U.S. Forest Service along with the students boarded the Community Connection trolley and were paired up as they arrived at D&B Supply. They spent the morning shopping for holiday gifts for family members, friends and even their pets. Each student was allotted $100, which stretched a little farther thanks to the generous discount offered by D&B Supply.
After their shopping was completed, they were taken to the YMCA gymnasium where festivities awaited. Volunteers from BCPD Citizens on Patrol, FFA and National Honor Society assisted students with gift wrapping. Once the hard work was done, there was time for crafts and games. Subway provided lunch at a discount, which was served by volunteers from Blue Mountain Baptist Church. Albertsons, Safeway and Coffee Corral donated confections. Just when the day could not get much better, a special visit was made…by Santa!
This event was impactful not only for the youth participating but also for the law enforcement professionals. “It’s really neat watching the kids and law enforcement officers build those relationships and forge bonds that can last a lifetime. This is one of the reasons that many of us chose this career path-to make a difference,” said Sgt. Wayne Chastain, the main event coordinator.
Shop with a Cop would not have been successful without the incredible generosity of local businesses and individuals. Baker City Police Department would like to thank the following businesses for their contributions:
- D&B Supply
- YMCA
- Community Connection
- Subway
- Albertsons/Safeway
- Coffee Corral
- Blue Mountain Baptist Church
- FFA
- National Honor Society
