University of Akron police officers were invited by the Ravenna Police Department to participate in a day to "Shop with a Cop" on Saturday December 10th. The "Shop with a Cop" program provides needy children a chance to receive approximately $100 worth of clothing and

toys. On December 10th, University of Akron officers Captain Alan Grad, Sergeant Ken Rayl, Sergeant Bryan Taylor, Cpl. Robert Stachowiak and Officer Jamie McKinley met at the Ravenna moose lodge for breakfast with the kids before going to the Ravenna Walmart for shopping. Officer McKinley coordinated UAPD efforts in recruiting officers for this great program. "This is a great opportunity for the kids" stated Officer McKinley. "It's a great time for both the officers and the kids" McKinley continued, "Its hard to tell who's having more fun."
School teachers are asked to help identify underprivileged students to receive the shopping trip and parents are asked to help with a shopping list for the child. Officers were instructed that the children are to buy only for themselves and not for other family members. The children were then paired up with an officer and off they went! Most officers tried to balance the purchases by doing 50% clothing and 50% toys. As the children shopped, a member of the Cleveland Police Department's drum and bugle corp played bagpipes and marched around the store. "This was fantastic!" states Cpl. Stachowiak. "I shopped with a four year old girl named Angela and she was lots of fun." "All I had to do was find something that had a princess on it and she was in love. " "I tried to make sure that she got some warm clothes as well as lots of toys." " I hope this was a special moment in time for her because it certainly was for me."
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Hosted by the Ravenna Police Department, The University of Akron Police Department was only too happy to participate in Shop with a Cop.