Shop with a cop sees a successful sixth year
OSBURN — There was no shortage of Christmas spirit at the sixth-annual Shop With a Cop.
The two-day event took place last Saturday and carried on to Sunday — pairing over 70 kids with an officer from one of the many local law enforcement agencies, who then got to hit Walmart’s aisles on a mini shopping spree.
“Kids are K to sixth grade,” explained Osburn Police Chief and event organizer Darell Braaten. “We look for those with an economical need or a need such as having concerns with law enforcement. The idea of the program is to build a relationship between law enforcement and these kids.”
After meeting at Shoshone County’s Fire District #1 firehouse in Osburn, and then being partnered with their ‘cop’, the kids gleefully hopped into patrol cars and joined in the parade of police vehicles as they made their way to Walmart in Smelterville with a full display of lights and sirens.
The kids and cops alike stormed the store with $100 to spend on Christmas gifts for themselves as well as their family members.
“It’s interesting, because with most of the kids, we struggle to get them to buy something for themselves,” said Braaten. “Most want to buy for their families.”
This held true for 10-year-old Brady Mellen, who was participating along with his brother for the second consecutive year. When asked who he was most excited to buy a gift for, he responded quickly with, “My mom.”
Mellen said the best part of the day was getting to spend time with his law enforcement officer, Nathan Shultz, who he said he wants to be just like when he’s older.
“That’s what my dream is. I’ve been pretending to be a cop for years now, since I was a baby,” Mellen said. “You get to take people off the streets, and help others.”
“It’s just as much fun for the officers as it is with the kids,” Braaten said. “We love interacting with the kids and to be able to build that relationship.”
Braaten said he would like to thank the community for the support of the Shop with a Cop program “Without the community’s donations, the support of our community, the volunteers that have come in — there’s no way we could’ve pulled this off.”
