The Greene County Peace Officers Association recently held its Shop With A Cop.

Eight Greene County youth were taken to Boone Walmart to purchase items for their parents and siblings. Each kid could then use the rest of their $150 to spend on themselves. Greene County Attorney Thomas Laehn participated in his third Shop With A Cop and talked about the benefits he sees from the program.

“It not only provides families in our county with a more meaningful Christmas, but it also provides some of our underprivileged children with an opportunity to meet with law enforcement officers (and) to build a relationship there. I always tell the children I interact with in the community if they ever have problems (and) they want a safe place to talk to someone, if they have a concern, they’re always welcomed to come to my office. And I know our law enforcement officers want to have that same type of relationship.”

      

After shopping at Boone Walmart, kids and law enforcement officers went to Clover Hall on the Greene County Fairgrounds to wrap gifts, enjoy free pizza and doughnuts. Shop With a Cop is dependent on donations. Checks can be made payable to Greene County Peace Officers Association, earmarked for Shop With A Cop. Donations can be dropped off at the law enforcement center in Jefferson.