Deschutes County SO keeps ‘Shop With a Cop’ going, with changes this year
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has been working throughout this pandemic on a way to continue with Shop with a Cop. And they've found a way, as Sgt. Jayson Janes explains in this news release:
Our plans have changed more than once, but the Sheriff’s Office has found a way to continue with this tradition. This program is not only good for our community, but the participating law enforcement officers as well.
COVID 19 has made it even more important to make sure Shop with a Cop happened this year. Many of the services that are normally available to help these children and families are unable to assist this year.
The Sheriff’s Office has continued to receive donations for Shop with a Cop in order to make sure it can still help the recommended families.
This year, Shop with a Cop is able to shop for around 55 families throughout Deschutes County. The families are recommended for the program by various community based organizations and others that interact with the children at school.
Normally, law enforcement officers from Central Oregon pick up their designated kid from school and take them to Wal-Mart to shop. After their shopping is complete, volunteers wrap all their gifts. McDonald's provides a meal for the kids while they wait for their gifts to be wrapped.
This year will look much different, as we are not able to take the kids shopping. The organizers of Shop with a Cop were able to get lists for the families and work with Wal-Mart to collect the items on the lists.
Wal-Mart has done an amazing job of collecting the household goods, winter clothing, and gifts for the selected families.
After the gifts are delivered to the Sheriff’s Office, volunteers will organize and wrap the gifts for each family.
Starting December 15 and going through December 17, law enforcement officers will deliver the gifts, along with food baskets and gift certificates for McDonalds to each family.
The Sheriff’s Office is very excited that this programs is still able to help children and families in Deschutes County this year.
We would like to thank the employees at Wal-Mart for their hard work collecting all of the items requested on our lists, McDonalds for donating gift certificates, and everyone that has donated and volunteered to make this program successful.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with six K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today led by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves over 200,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 259 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 191 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.
