“Shop With A Cop” returned to Paola over the holiday weekend. Ten lucky students had the chance to go shopping for their family members at the Paola Walmart with help from the Paola Police Department. The “Shop With A Cop” program has become an annual tradition for the Paola Police Department. Police Chief Chad Corbin says the police department works with social workers at Cottonwood and Sunflower Elementary Schools to identify 10 students who would most benefit from the experience. Each officer was paired with a student, and they worked together searching the aisles for the perfect gifts for the student’s family members. Each student had $100 to spend, entirely funded by the Paola Walmart.
After the shopping spree, the officers and students went back to the Paola Justice Center to wrap the gifts with help from city staff members and enjoy pizza. The officers even played a few games with the students. Corbin says the relationships they build with the kids will last a lifetime. He says the officers look forward to it every year and are already talking about next year’s event.
