Local fourth graders spent their Tuesday morning at Target in Morgan Hill picking out their favorite toys, clothing and other items, all paid for by Morgan Hill Police officers who helped them fill their carts and bag their purchases at the checkout line.
The shopping spree for more than 110 children was part of the Morgan Hill Police Officers Association’s “Shop with a Cop” event, according to MHPD Sgt. Carlos Guerrero. The Dec. 8 program paired about 25 off-duty, uniformed members of the MHPOA with fourth graders selected by teachers and administrators from all local public and private schools.
Each child was given a gift bag, which contained a $100 Target gift card, as they arrived at the store. Each student was then paired with an officer and a shopping cart as they perused the store for their favorite merchandise.
“A lot of these kids don’t always get to see us in a positive light,” Guerrero said, explaining that most children’s sightings of police are when they are responding to a crime or other unfortunate emergency. The Shop with a Cop program helps local police promote positive interactions with kids and other members of the community.
Teachers selected students to participate in the program if they satisfy a number of criteria, including whether they are an example for others, their leadership qualities, and their levels of self-motivation, self-discipline and social responsibility, Guerrero said.
“We’re very thankful to the police officers for this opportunity,” Crossroads Christian School Principal Ms. Marsha Anguiano said while two of her students were checking out MHPD patrol cars after they completed their shopping spree at Target.
The Shop with a Cop program was funded by proceeds raised from the POA golf tournament fundraiser, which took place this year in October. Guerrero explained that the POA donates money raised from the annual fundraiser back to the community in the form of programs such as Shop with a Cop. The Dec. 8 program also received funding from the South County Youth Task Force.
This is the first year Morgan Hill officers have participated in Shop with a Cop, which is a nationwide program.
