LBPF hosts 18th annual ‘Shop with a Cop’ Kids receive school supplies, build positive relationships with police

Although 92 children benefited directly from the Long Beach Police Foundation’s “Shop with a Cop” this year, another child who had volunteered at the event also gained something from the program. An 8-year-old who had tagged along with her police-officer father that day told the Foundation’s executive director, Kathy Berry: “I love doing this. It is a way I can give back to the community.”
The Long Beach Police Foundation’s (LBPF) shopping event took place on Aug. 18, at the Target store located on Atlantic Avenue and 33rd Street. Children aged 6 to 12 were selected by ChildNet, Better Learning for All Students Today (BLAST), Women’s Shelter of Long Beach (WSLB), Operation Jump Start and The Children’s Clinic to each spend $100 on clothes and school supplies with a Long Beach police officer, community service officer, Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) explorer scout, a Long Beach Junior Chamber member and/or a Target employee volunteer.
In addition, Assistance League of Long Beach (ALLB) donated school uniforms and underwear in backpacks to the children. At 7:30am, the CPA firm Crisell & Associates provided a breakfast that included pancakes, bacon and sausage. After shopping, the kids took a souvenir photo with their partnered volunteer and decorated pencils and key rings to put on their backpacks.
“Shop with a Cop” initially took place before Christmas, until about four years ago. “It makes more sense to shop for back-to-school because they need school clothes, they need school supplies. So we changed it to August,” Berry said. “And that’s where we intend to leave it.”
Last year, LBPF decided to partner with ALLB because every year they were already giving backpacks and uniforms to underprivileged kids in Long Beach schools. “We decided that, ‘Wouldn’t that be nice if [ALLB] be involved with us, so they could give the backpacks and school uniforms just before school starts?'” Berry said. “That way, the kids have the money to shop with and they could buy shoes. They could buy underwear. They could buy other items of clothing— not necessarily uniforms because they would be getting them anyway.”
LBPD chief Jim McDonnell explained that these kids are getting more than just school supplies. They are also gaining support and trust from police officers. “Just the fact that they know someone cares about them— there’s people out there that they don’t even know that want them to be successful,” he said. “I think the feeling of that is something they don’t soon forget.” During the event, McDonnell spent his time within the different groups, socializing with as many kids as he could. “It’s great for officers to be able to come together and interact with young people on a positive note,” he added.
Giovanna Martinez, youth services coordinator at WSLB, agrees with McDonnell. She explained that a lot of the kids she’s been involved with had developed the impression that police officers were only called to “break up a fight” and take one of their loved ones away. When the kids she brought first arrived, they were very quiet. “I don’t think they were really interested or knew what they were getting into,” she said.
By the time the event had ended, the children’s mood drastically changed. “They were chatting up all the way home,” Martinez said. “They were talking about how it was really exciting to get to know each police officer. They got to know their names and they showed their pictures.” Martinez added that the children even sang songs on the way back. “This was a really great opportunity to take some of our youth to, [to] know [the police officers] are not only there to take their parents away,” she said. “They can also be there to be a mentor and help them out.”
This was WSLB’s first year at the event. Martinez described it as a “really positive experience” and hopes that they are invited next year.