Santa Claus has helpers that wear badges

Several kids from the north of Carbon County got a treat from law enforcement agencies based in Wyoming, Carbon County and municipalities.

Local children participated in the Shop-with-a-Cop annual program carried out by the Wyoming Highway Patrol Association which sends out funds to all of the Wyoming Highway Patrol Divisions to assist with this event.

Shop-with-a-Cop is a national program that can found in throughout the United States.

This event started in 1989 when a small group of officers in Blount County, Tennessee passed a hat around to collect money in order to take a single child in need shopping for toys. In the past 30 years, this concept has grown to encompass most of the United States.

The Shop-with-a-Cop Program tries to promote positive law enforcement relationships for families that live in their area. While shopping, officers engage in conversation with each child asking them about current trends and the child's areas of interest while shopping and selecting their holiday gifts.

"It went very well," Hanna Marshal Ted Kranenberg said. "I had a good time with the local kids."

The program's goal is to enrich the lives of both the police officers and children from families who are least likely to experience the gift of giving due to financial constraints during the holidays.

Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) Lt. Caleb Hobbs, based at the WHP Elk Mountain Station, spearheaded the Shop-with-a-Cop event in Carbon County.

"This year we got some funds and we organized with the Hanna Marshal's Office, the Medicine Bow Marshal's Office, the WHP Elk Mountain and Rawlins divisions, to meet at Walmart to do Shop-with-a Cop," Hobbs said. "We had 16 kids with us."

Medicine Bow Marshal's office contributed funds Hobbs said.

Each of the 16 children had an officer to help them with their shopping.

"The great part, is that Walmart jumps in and helps," Hobbs said. "They do a lot to make this successful, including paying for taxes and any other expenditures so that the kids could enjoy the shopping experience and not get bogged down in the concern of not having enough funds. The store made sure if they went over their budget, it was taken care of. I have to give kudos to Rawlins Walmart, their managers and employees for making this event a success."

Hobbs recounted a couple stories of the giving that went on by not just the law enforcement agencies and Walmart, but also individuals.

"There was a Walmart employee that saw a kid was interested in some food items and instead of letting the kid spend his money on the food for his family, the employee actually purchased the food items out their own personal pocket, so that the kid would spend the funds on toys," Hobbs said. "There was another gentlemen that had bought a little scooter for one of his grandkids and got it purchased and then gave it to us for one of the kids to have an extra present. It was cool to see."

Hobbs said there is a system for picking the kids for this event.

"We actually go to the schools and we work with the principals and the secretaries about who could benefit from this program," Hobbs said. "It is about a three week process to find the kids and then we work with the parents to make sure it is alright for their children to have a special time with us."

Hobbs said there were law enforcement from other agencies helping to make sure the event would be successful even though bad weather on December 15 closed some roads.

"One trooper stayed behind to make sure the calls were taken care of even during the bad weather," Hobbs said. "The Sherriff's office also took calls, so certain agencies are participating with the kids and there is a lot of behind the scenes making sure calls are still taken care of."

Another facet of the program Hobbs points out, is the addition of Wyoming's First Lady Jennie Gordon's contribution.

"She participates in making sure those in need have food," Hobbs said. "So she actually works with the Shop-with-a-Cop and the different divisions and helps provide funds to both Wyoming Highway Patrol divisions to where these kids after we brought them home, their family have a food basket or food items to make sure they have a good meal as well."

Hobbs said it is a part of his job to coordinate this event and he enjoys it.

"It was fantastic to see the smiles on all the kids' faces throughout the event," Hobbs said. "Merry Christmas really meant something to these kids after this day with us."