Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Shop With A Cop Brings Christmas Joy
FAYETTEVILLE — Farmington police officers spent a recent Sunday morning making sure 25 children would have a merry Christmas.
Officers shopped with 25 children during the department’s Shop with a Cop program. Children and their families started showing up at 7 a.m., Dec. 22, at Walmart in Fayetteville.
Jimmy Brotherton, the department’s school resource officer, has shopped with children all seven years he’s been with the department and said the Shop with a Cop program is a “great way to give
back to the community.”
Farmington began its own Shop with a Cop program in 2007. Prior to that it participated with the area Fraternal Order of Police.
Brotherton said the program is important because it helps police develop a relationship with children in the community.
“They get to see us in a different environment,” Brotherton said.
Personally, he said he enjoys volunteering with Shop with a Cop because he gets to see children pick out toys and other items that they don’t have but they want.
Children have $150 to spend for Christmas. They first shop for clothes and other needs and then head over to the toy department to spend the rest of their money.
Breanna Gaskill of Farmington said she was grateful for the police officers this Christmas.
“We’ve been in a tight spot,” Gaskill said. “My fiancé lost one of his jobs and we’ve been afraid we wouldn’t be able to get them anything.”
This is the first time her children have been involved with the Shop with a Cop program, Gaskill said.
Gerardo Gonzalez also thanked the police department.
“It’s a lot of help and I’m so happy for a police officer to spend time with our family,” Gonzalez said.
Farmington Police Department raised money for Shop with a Cop this year with the first Farmington Police-Fire Softball tournament (won by the police officers), renting out its dunk tank and from donations given by businesses and individuals.