Officers, students shop online during Shop with a Cop event

PEA RIDGE — A dozen students were assisted in Christmas shopping both for themselves and their families in a unique Shop with a Cop event last week as police officers assisted students in shopping online.

“We’re doing it differently this year,” Lt. Michael Lisenbee said, explaining in observing guidelines during the covid-19 pandemic, it was decided to help the students shop online instead of taking them to the store.

Six students were selected at the Primary School and six were chosen at the Intermediate School.

School Resource Officers and Police Chief Lynn Hahn each sat with a student, helping them shop, playing games and sharing lunch with them.

One little boy said he was shopping for his mom, his big brother and his little brother as he selected items online. “This is fun,” he said. “The School District collaboratively worked with us to hand pick students,” Lisenbee said. “We did a survey with parents to find out exactly what they needed in terms of clothing and toys.

“We’ll provide lunch thanks to Annette Barnes at Sonic Drive-In, who graciously provided lunch for the students and officers,” he said.

All orders will be shipped either to the police station or a local Walmart store, police officers will wrap them and then deliver them to the students’ homes the week of Christmas.

The event is sponsored by the Pea Ridge Fraternal

Order of Police, Thin Blue Line Martial Arts Academy and Sonic Drive-In, Lisenbee said, adding that each child is awarded a $200 shopping spree.

“The Fraternal Order of Police annual golf tournament pays for this,” Lisenbee said.

“Mindy Fowler orchestrated and organized all this. She did a fantastic job,” he said.

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Annette Beard) School Resource Officer Mindy Fowler led students and officers in fun games and handed out prizes to the students during the Shop with a Cop covid-style event last week in Pea Ridge.

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Annette Beard) School Resource Officer Mindy Fowler hands out prizes to Pea Ridge students during the Shop with a Cop covid-style event last week. School Resource Officer Drew Rosser assisted one student with the games and shopping.