MONROE — In one of the more generous and enduring local holiday traditions, this year’s “Shop with a Cop” program promises to provide dozens of area children not only with the money to buy gifts for themselves and others, but to spend time with members of area law enforcement.

Those positive interactions, police say, can go a long way toward helping kids who have contacts with cops later in life.

Since 2018, Sgt. Aaron King of the Green County Sheriff’s department has helmed the program. He took charge when he was appointed to head up all the sheriff’s department’s vital community outreach programs.

The shopping program — giving kids money to pick out their own Christmas gifts with help from an officer — has been around in Green County since at least 2002. It is an all-volunteer effort, which for years has been headed by the Green County Law Enforcement Administrators’ Association (GCLEAA).

“The generosity of this community is what really drives this entire program,” said King, who was meeting at the Monroe Walmart with employees last week to help prepare for the annual shopping spree. 

This year, according to King, they expect to have 50 children participate. Those children are typically referred to program organizers by social service agencies, teachers, and even other police officers.

And for the second year in a row, the amount allocated to each child is $150 — a marked increase over the traditional amount of $100 for many years. That is attributable, of course, to inflation and the fact that most kids buy presents not only for themselves but for family members.

Monroe’s Walmart has participated each year, providing personnel to assist law enforcement agencies, snacks to the kids during their early-morning shopping trip, prizes; and even additional money to fund the program.

“We’ve been getting things ready for the kids here,” said Tammie Etheridge, a Monroe service desk employee who has worked at the store for decades. “It’s a always a special day for us, and we’re pleased to be a part of it.”

She’ll be assisted by a small army of volunteers from the store, including Charis Trolinger. The event starts at 7 a.m. on Dec. 9.

“It’s very well organized,” Trolinger said. “We have everything they need here on that morning.”

That includes gift wrapping all of the selected items for each child, and enjoying cookies and other refreshments provided by Walmart.

King said one of the best parts of the experience for the officers who volunteer to shop with children, is that they often witness that child’s generosity as they peruse the aisles of the vast store. That is because many, he said, choose to spend much of their $150 allocation on gifts for their families rather than for themselves.

“What people don’t realize is that even though we are all doing this in our uniforms, all the police working with us volunteer their time for the kids,” he said. “It is a special thing we like to do every year.”

Any donations to the program are welcome can be forwarded to a Green County local law enforcement agency with checks made out to “Shop with a Cop.”