Behind the Badge
Santa’s sleigh arrived early at Santa Ana College, in the form of a Santa Ana Police Department Bearcat SWAT vehicle. The pair of motorcycles that led the procession served as Santa’s reindeer.
The arrival of “The Bear,” complete with lights and sirens, was part of the festivities of the final day of the annual Stuff-A-Bus toy drive, staged this year for the first time at Santa Ana College. In previous years the Orange County version of the event was held in Anaheim at the Honda Center.
Santa Ana police officers make a chain as they hand donated toys to each other and help load OCTA buses during the annual Spark of Love Toy Drive at Santa Ana College.
Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
This year, a large portion of the Santa Ana Police Department toy donations, were purchased from the funds raised from the department’s inaugural 5-kilometer 31 for 31 fun run for holiday giving.
Santa Ana Police Department Deputy Chief Robert Rodriguez said the fundraising run was the idea of Chief David Valentin, and Stuff-A-Bus was a perfect venue at which to deliver the toys.
“It’s a great opportunity for the police department and the community to come together,” Rodriguez said. “Most of the events we are involved with help certain groups. This helps everybody.”
Santa Ana police officers make a chain as they hand donated toys to each other and help load OCTA buses during the annual Spark of Love Toy Drive.
Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Stuff-A-Bus is a popular way to gather toys and other goods for those in need and are staged across the country by various nonprofits and volunteer groups.
Locally, ABC 7 and the firefighter-supported Spark of Love campaign sponsored Stuff-A-Bus events across the Southland at Oxnard, Ontario, Cerritos and in the San Fernando Valley.
Now in its 29th year, the day-long drive-through event was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Ooh, neat,” exclaimed a boy from the Touch and Go Soccer Academy of Tustin, which was on hand delivering toys, when the back doors of “Bear” were opened to reveal its stash.
Santa Ana Deputy Chief Robert Rodriguez is interviewed by ABC Reporter Tony Cabrera during the department’s participation in the annual Spark of Love Toy Drive at Santa Ana College on Friday, December 17.
Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Filled floor-to-roof and back-to-front, the SWAT team transport was an explosion of color with soccer balls, Legos, scooters, bicycles and Hot Wheels.
Two lines of police officers, firefighters, and several volunteers formed and began transferring the trove of toys to two waiting buses, nearly filling both.
Commander Jose Gonzalez said the college was excited to be part of the event this year when a scheduling conflict arose at the Honda Center.
Motorcycle officers escort the Santa Ana Police Department’s SWAT vehicle as it arrives, stuffed with donated toys, to make a delivery at the Spark of Love Toy Drive.
Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Gonzalez has been involved with the toy drive for more than 10 years and said back when he started, horse mounted officers from Santa Ana and other agencies would sometimes show up carrying red sacks laden with toys.
“We’re just looking to engage with the community,” Gonzalez said.
Throughout the day, residents and groups arrived to deliver toys, filling more than five buses before noon.
Santa Ana police officers wave from behind the department’s SWAT vehicle, stuffed with donated toys, as they arrive to deliver the toys to the annual Spark of Love Toy Drive.
Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
As drivers arrived, cheers arose from volunteers, along with police, firefighters, and city workers. Also on hand were cheerleaders for the Anaheim Ducks and the team mascot, Wildwing.
Teresa Samaniego, a spokesperson for KABC, said the goal of this year’s toy campaign was to deliver more than $500,000 in toys. The toy drive works with a wide array of school districts and nonprofits that help children affected by homelessness or domestic violence, and foster children.
The Orange County Transit Authority supplied about a dozen stuffable buses for the event.
“We hope we perform well here,” she said of the Santa Ana College site.
Summing it all up, Gonzalez said, “We don’t ever want to see kids go through a Christmas without toys.”
Donated toys fill the back of the Santa Ana Police Department’s SWAT vehicle as it arrives at the Spark of Love Toy Drive at Santa Ana College. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Santa Ana police officers help bring some levity to a live ABC broadcast while participating in the annual Spark of Love Toy Drive at Santa Ana College on Friday, December 17, 2021. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Motorcycle officers escort the Santa Ana Police Department’s SWAT vehicle as it arrives, stuffed with donated toys, to make a delivery at the Spark of Love Toy Drive at Santa Ana College. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Santa Ana police officers stand together in front of a mountain of donated toys while participating in the annual Spark of Love Toy Drive at Santa Ana College. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Santa Ana Police Officer Jonathan McKee sits in the department’s SWAT vehicle while kids from Tustin’s Touch and Go Soccer Academy pose for a photo while donating toys to the Spark of Love Toy Drive in Santa Ana. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Santa Ana Police Detective Luis Galeana loads a toy into a box on an OCTA bus while participating in the annual Spark of Love Toy Drive at Santa Ana College on Friday, December 17, 2021. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Santa Ana police officers make a chain as they hand donated toys to each other and help load OCTA buses during the annual Spark of Love Toy Drive. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Santa Ana police officers make a chain as they hand donated toys to each other and help load OCTA buses during the annual Spark of Love Toy Drive. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Rachel Griffin accepts a donated toy from passing car during the Spark of Love Toy Drive at Santa Ana College. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Santa Ana police officers make a chain as they hand donated toys to each other. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Pam Kralich arrives at the Spark of Love Toy Drive at Santa Ana College on Friday, December 17, 2021, with toys to donate. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Maryel Moscoso helps organize a display of donated toys during the annual Spark of Love Toy Drive at Santa Ana College on Friday, December 17, 2021. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
Santa Ana Police Officer Jonathan McKee drives the department’s SWAT vehicle, packed with donated toys and adorned with a stuffed elf hood ornament, while arriving at the Spark of Love Toy Drive in Santa Ana. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
A Santa hangs from the Santa Ana Police Department’s SWAT vehicle during Friday’s Spark of Love Toy Drive event. Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer
