Shop with a Cop event aims to help Putnam County youth

Officers from several local agencies descended upon the Greencastle Walmart to take part in the Putnam County Fraternal Order of Police's 16th annual Shop with a Cop event on Thursday. Indiana State University Police officer David Barber (left) helps one little girl pick out new school clothes (Photo by LAUREN BOUCHER)

For the past 16 years, the Putnam County Fraternal Order of Police Shop with a Cop effort has been helping Putnam County youth receive the necessary school supplies and clothing needed to start the school year.

This year, officers from seven local agencies descended upon the Greencastle Walmart Thursday morning for the annual event, which lasted roughly two hours.

A total of 25 children participated in the event this year, each with a budget of $150, a number determined by the number of participants as well as the amount of donations collected from area residents and businesses during the FOP's annual fundraiser.

Putnam County Sheriff's Department Reserve Officer Don Lewis helps Randy Price pick out new school shoes as part of the Shop with a Cop event. (photo by LAUREN BOUCHER)

"We call on the citizens of Putnam County during June and July to raise funds for this program and for the lodge," FOP President Cpl. Jerrod Baugh explained. "We invited kids from all corners of Putnam County through the school system."

Children are selected through counselor recommendations from each of the four area school corporations. The FOP, with the help of Baugh's wife Tara, then sends out letters asking if the family would be interested in participating in the program.

"We are in our 16th year," Baugh said. "It's been a great program. Every year we've increased the amount of officers who show up to the program, to the point where we've had very few do it and then not come back and do it again. They really do like it."

Greencastle Police Officer Ed Wilson helps one young child pick out some much-needed school supplies during the Putnam County FOP's annual Shop with the Cop event on Thursday morning. (photos by LAUREN BOUCHER)

Seventeen officers from the Greencastle Police Department, Indiana Excise Police, Putnam County Sheriff's Department, Cloverdale Police, Danville Police Department, Indiana State University Police Department and DNR took part in the day.

"The more officers who get involved, the more kids we can handle," Baugh explained. "The whole idea is to be shopping with a police officer. So, we try and get involvement from as many law enforcement officers as we can to be able to shop with more kids that way."

Perhaps the most telling and touching moment of the event this year came from one grateful young girl in the group who enjoyed her time shopping with an officer.

Assisting a child with a fascination for superheroes, Indiana State Excise Police Officer Jeremiah Gilliam helps one young boy pick out some new school clothes, which have many of his favorites on them such as Spiderman.

"The interaction between the kids and the cops is always my favorite," Baugh said with a smile. "My favorite story this year was the little girl who was talking to the police officers in the checkout line. When she went to leave, she gave the officer a big hug right at his duty belt, which has what they call basket weave imprinting on it. She hugged him so hard that when she let go she had a basket weave impression on her cheek. It was so cute."

With the Shop with the Cop event now completed, the FOP will focus its attention on the upcoming Santa Drop program in December, which also aims to help local youth and families during the holiday season.