For the eighth year, Casa Grande police officers and civilian employees of the department recently volunteered to be part of the “Shop with a Cop” event, taking elementary school kids shopping and spending some time with them one-on-one.
The event, which takes place all over the country, helps build trust between youngsters and the law enforcement officers who protect them. At least in one case, the day may have sparked a career interest; not only did seven-year-old Domingo Montijo enjoy the shopping trip, he also said to PinalCentral.com that he thought being a policeman would be fun. His six-year-old sister Martha, however, said she wants to protect police.
The Montijos were two of the 24 elementary-school students who took part in the shopping trip, which was sponsored by Matt Duran, a detective with the Casa Grande Police Department, and the Public Safety Foundation, which is supported by police officers.
The elementary school district chooses the participants, making the decision based on need. Duran said the police department works closely with the school district to make sure that participants are not only truly in need, but are also able to take part in the trip; he added different families are chosen every year. Each child received a backpack full of school supplies in addition to essential clothing, such as shoes and school uniforms.
Organizers of events like this can use flyer printing to publicize the day.
