Shopping with a cop
Photos courtesy of San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office
Jackson and Capt. Christina Corpus are greeted by Santa as they enter Target in Redwood City for San Mateo County’s first Shop with a Cop event.
Sheriff Carlos Bolanos shopping with a young girl at Target in Redwood City during the Sheriff Office’s Shop with a Cop event.
Christmas came early when uniformed Sheriff’s Office deputies Friday took more than 60 local kids in need on a shopping spree in Redwood City.
It was the department’s first Shop with a Cop event in San Mateo County — deputies typically assist with the one in Santa Clara County — and the goal is to make it an annual affair that includes more kids every year. For this year’s event, each participating youth partnered with one deputy for a day of activities, including shopping at Target on a budget of $150 per kid.
“It’s amazing to see the impact of a moment like this with a law enforcement officer or an adult who’s willing to dedicate their time for anything the kids want,” said Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Detective Rosemerry Blankswade. “And seeing what the kids do with that money is also very touching.”
Blankswade said many of the kids purchased Christmas gifts for others and some spent their money on toilet paper and other necessities for their families.
“Countless selfless acts were seen here today,” Blankswade said.
One young girl who began the event desperately wanting a bike later decided her money would be better spent on cleaning supplies for her parents, Blankswade added.
Participating children were selected for the event because of their economic status or because they or their family endured a difficult or traumatic event.
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Esmeralda Castenada, 18, enjoyed the camaraderie with local law enforcement as well as the $150 shopping tab, which she spent on clothes.
“It was nice just hanging out and bonding with the cops,” she said. “And seeing all the little kids happy when they got toys was great.”
Prior to the shopping spree, the kids enjoyed breakfast with the deputies and were then escorted to and from Target in a bus escorted by multiple law enforcement vehicles. Passersby might have thought someone important was in town getting transported to their appointments with a police escort.
The children sang Christmas carols during the bus ride and after the shopping spree were taken to SportsHouse, which was decorated for the holidays, to wrap gifts, enjoy snacks and take photos with Santa.
“I got to know other kids in the area and it was a fun environment on the bus coming here singing Christmas carols,” said 17-year-old America Nava. “We were all getting along singing and everyone had a smile on their face.”
The shopping money was donated by members of the community. Donations for future Shop with a Cop events are accepted through the Sheriff’s Activities League.
(650) 344-5200 ext. 102
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