As the school bus rounded the corner and pulled into the Hooked On Toys parking lot it was hard to tell who was more eager, the law enforcement officers that waited outside the toy store armed with $100 gift cards or the busload of 4th-graders from Lincoln and Mission View. During the annual Shop with a Cop event, students were able to fill their holiday lists with a little expert help. 

As students streamed off the bus they were paired up with a law enforcement shopping buddy. The officers, deputies, and troopers on scene navigated carts through the packed Hooked on Toys aisles, reached top shelves for gifts, helped make tough decisions on which toy siblings would like best, and kept track of spending. 

For the eighth year in a row, Shop with a Cop has paired 40 elementary students from across the Wenatchee School District with an officer, deputy, or trooper from the Wenatchee and East Wenatchee Police Departments, Chelan and Douglas County Sheriff’s Offices, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Washington State Patrol. New this year, students were transported to the new Chelan County Fire Station on N. Wenatchee Ave. to wrap their gifts and enjoy pictures with Santa. 

Students were chosen by counselors and school staff to participate in the unique holiday shopping experience. Students from all Wenatchee elementary schools would have a chance to shop with law enforcement during the day. 

This program is made possible through the generosity of the Community Foundation of North Central Washington’s Foundation for Youth Fund and Hooked on Toys.