REXBURG — The Rexburg Police Department will hold its annual Shop with a Cop event to help needy children and area families next week. The event has been running for more than 20 years, providing toys, clothes and Christmas cheer to families and children in need.
The Rexburg Shop with a Cop event, held the morning of Saturday, Dec. 12, is one of the largest programs of its kind in Idaho. It includes a mile-long procession of police vehicles that take children to McDonald’s for breakfast and then on to Walmart to shop for gifts and winter clothing for themselves and family members. Each child is paired with an officer.
Police use the event as a way to give back to the community and form positive bonds with children and families. Officers submit names of families and children who they have interacted with in the community, Sgt. Colette Davison said. Members of the community also submit suggestions to the police.
There are other benefits to Shop with a Cop, Davison said. Many times when children encounter police, it is during traumatic or negative events, but during Shop with a Cop children have the opportunity for positive interactions with officers.
“It’s all about the children,” Davison said. “Making sure they have Christmas is what is important.”
This year the event will have 80 children participating, impacting more than 300 families from five counties. Eleven law enforcement agencies and 100 officers from Madison, Fremont, Jefferson, Clark and Teton counties are involved, Davison said.
The event is made possible through community donations. Donations can still be dropped off at the Rexburg Police Department at 25 East Main Street in Rexburg or at any of the law enforcement agencies in participating counties.
Giving trees are also at the following locations in Rexburg:
- Valley Wide
- Madison County Library
- Paul Mitchell
- Nielson’s Frozen Custard
- Idaho Central Credit Union
- Both Beehive Credit Union locations
- East Idaho Credit Union
- Bank of Commerce off Second East
The trees list items you can donate and other ways you can help.
For information on the event and ways to donate, click here.
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