Shop With A Cop

Local Kids Shop With Cops

By Michael Tulisiak

 

            Santa doesn’t always arrive in a sleigh.  Occasionally, he uses a police cruiser.  This December, the Safety Employees’ Benefit Association, “SEBA,” held its 6^th Annual Shop With A Cop event helping to make the holidays a little more cheerful for over 440 underprivileged children. 

SEBA members and other county public safety officers chaperoned children on a Christmas shopping spree at three San Bernardino County Wal-Marts and one San Bernardino County Target.  Each child was given $150 to spend on clothing and $100 for toys.  SEBA organized the event, and it is one of four in the county that benefited underprivileged children.

            Volunteers included Deputy Sheriffs, Probation Officers, police department trainees, California Highway Patrol Officers, members of the Citizens on Patrol and employees from the District Attorneys office.  This is the sixth year the Association has organized the event, and each year we get more volunteers.

            The kids were chosen from Desert Communities United Way, Hope Through Housing Foundation, Trinity Foster Family, Home of Neighborly Service, Indian Child and Family Services, Boys and Girls Club, Foothill Family Shelter, Northside Impact, Lighthouse for the Blind, Time For Change, and St. Bernardines Medical Center

            Dave Johnson, a Crime Scene Specialist in San Bernardino, shopped with a young boy whose single mom is raising six kids.  It was his first year participating in the event and he said that he would like to participate in the future.

            Tommy Dickey, a Sheriff’s Department Trainee, volunteered because he wants the public to have a more positive view of the department. “I wanted to help them (the public) have a better view of law enforcement, so they know that their county’s here behind them,” Dickey said.

            SEBA wishes to acknowledge the longtime support of our Sheriff Gary Penrod and our  District Attorney Michael Ramos. These two men have collectively been responsible for raising tens of thousands of dollars for Shop With A Cop over the years and they deserve to be applauded for their dedication to the children of our county. 

It takes the generosity of hundreds of citizens to make this event happen each year.  SEBA would like to extend a special thank you to local philanthropists James and Rowena Ramos, Alaina Mathews, Jeff Burum,  Audrey Martinez and corporate friends such as Colonies Crossroads, Morongo Band of Mission Indians,  Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians, Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for the substantial gifts they have made this year.  Brian & Tracey Melzer of Printing & Promotions Plus deserve a huge pat on the back for donating all of this year’s Shop With A Cop printing.