Nine-year-old Israel Rios picked a Nerf gun and a remote-controlled helicopter as his Christmas presents Sunday during the Westminster Police Officers’ Association’s 14th annual Shop with a Cop event at a local Walmart.
Israel also chose a snowflake-emblazoned coffee mug for his mom and a golden replica of the Eiffel Tower for his sister.
Officer Michael Ogawa, president of the POA, said the underprivileged children who benefit from this event often decide to spend part of their donated $100 Walmart gift cards on presents for family members.
“A lot of them don’t get stuff for themselves,” Ogawa said. “They say, ‘my mom needs this or my sister needs this.’”
The Boys & Girls Club of Westminster annually selects about 25 children who may not otherwise receive Christmas presents and Westminster police officers and Explorers take them on a shopping spree. Each family also receives a $100 Stater Bros gift card.
Westminster officers and Walmart split the $5,000 bill for the donated gift cards.
“Walmart has been very gracious in helping us out,” Ogawa said.
The Fountain Valley Police Officers’ Association also joined Westminster officers and explorers at Walmart on Sunday, shopping with children from Boys & Girls Club of Huntington Valley.
The officers kicked off Sunday’s event by meeting the children and their family members over breakfast at the in-store McDonald’s.
Everyone then gathered outside the Walmart to greet Santa Claus. Instead of reindeer and a sleigh, Saint Nick rode in on the West Orange County SWAT armored vehicle with an escort of motorcycle officers.
Before starting their shopping sprees, children wearing Santa and elf hats told Santa Claus what they wanted for Christmas and posed for photos.
Seven-year-old Xxavier eagerly tossed an Air Hog drone into a shopping cart pushed by a Westminster officer.
“I’ve always wanted this,” Xxavier said.
Det. Norma Vasquez, coordinator for Westminster’s Shop with a Cop, gets to see children’s smiling faces as they leave the store with their Christmas presents.
“This is one of the most rewarding events our Police Officers’ Association does,” Vasquez said.