Puyallup police ‘recharged’ by holiday shopping with disadvantaged kids
Stuffed animals, headphones, a hoverboard, clothes, watches and a drone.
Twenty-two Puyallup School District kids spent Wednesday shopping with a local police officer for Christmas gifts.
Puyallup Police Department began “Shop with a Cop” for local children about nine years ago. The district selected the children because of their positive attitude and accomplishments despite facing various hardships.
They partnered with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department this year to go to Best Buy, Fred Meyer and Mod Pizza.
Each child was given a $100 gift card to Best Buy, $50 to Fred Meyer, a free lunch and several gifts from the department, Capt. Ryan Portmann said. The businesses donated the gift cards and food.
Officers were paired with each of the 22 kids, and they chatted about families, their home life and what gifts they wanted. The students generally are shy at first but high-fiving and laughing with the officers by the end of the day, Portmann said.
“It’s nice to give back,” he said, and show kids that police are real people, not just authority figures.
Instead of choosing gifts on their own wish list, Portmann said, the children often pick presents for their siblings and parents. The officers have to encourage them to buy a few things for themselves. If the children’s toys are over budget, officers will bring out their own wallet to cover the difference, he said.
“It recharges my battery a little bit and reassures me that not everybody we see is a bad person,” Portmann said. “ These kids are our bright, and they are our future.”
This story was originally published December 21, 2019 at 9:21 AM.
