‘Shop with a Cop’ brings lots of smiles

RYLAN WEST SMILES as he shops with Braidwood’s finest. With him are Officer Zachary Manos, his wife Dana, and daughter, Enzley, and Braidwood Police Chief Brett Goodwin.

Photos courtesy Angela Rose

OFFICER RICHARD CORONELLI (left), his wife Fronie, Judy Crouse, Officer David Coronelli, and Xander Gargo enjoyed a shopping spree during Shop with a Cop hosted by the Braidwood Police Department.

By: 
Rose Panieri
Staff writer

Braidwood’s finest made Christmas brighter for local children and their families.
On Thursday, Dec. 5, 14 children joined the police department in Braidwood’s annual Shop with a Cop event. The celebration began in the most delicious way possible, with pizza provided by Rosati’s of Braidwood. The children, officers, volunteers, and guests fueled up with the shopping extravaganza awaiting them.
While feasting on pizza, pop, and cookies was a big deal in itself, the guests of honor, Santa and Mrs. Claus, were the stars of the party. The jolly couple had hightailed it all the way from the North Pole to meet the children, officers and guests.
Mr. and Mrs. Claus listened to the Christmas wishes from the kids. Even Chief Brett Goodwin had a private visit with Santa.
Bonding with kids
Shop with a Cop is a program that fosters good feelings between young people and law enforcement. The program is 100 percent funded through donations.
“Through the generous donations from the community, we provide the children with a $150 gift card,” Goodwin said. “They can spend it on anything they want.”
The department keeps the funding in a charity fund held exclusively for the event. Shop with a Cop is nearly as much fun for the officers and volunteers as it is for the children. Additionally, spending time with the officers shows the children that police do more than apprehend criminals and dole out speeding tickets.
“It serves as another way for the police department to connect with the community,” Goodwin said.
Filling a void
This year the department chose 14 deserving kids who had recently experienced loss.
“All of the children this year lost a parent(s) for numerous reasons,” Goodwin said. “The purpose is for the officer to temporarily fill the void, give the children some happiness and distraction this holiday season.”
And it worked. The children were most certainly distracted. Each felt like a VIP as squad cars with blaring lights made their urgent way to Walmart.
Fueled with goodies from the party, the kids raced to the toy and electronics departments in a hurry to fill shopping carts. Despite their training, officers had a difficult time keeping up with their charges.
At the end of the day, children grinned, thanking their new found buddies from Braidwood Police Department.
Goodwin and his officers thanked the individuals, groups, organizations, businesses, and volunteers.
“We must recognize our volunteers, Morris Walmart, Rosati’s Pizza of Braidwood, Lucid Rose Design and Photography and Santa and Mrs. Claus who took time away from the North Pole during the busiest part of the year,” Goodwin said.