The Shop with a Cop program pairs students from around the county who are in less fortunate circumstances with a police officer from the county. The police officer and the student, along with a chaperone, spend the day together shopping for Christmas presents and enjoying a variety of activities.
The Brown County Shop with a Cop program was started several years ago Patrolman Mike Dearing, a Mt. Orab police officer.
Dearing said that when he was nine years old, he was selected to participate in the Shop with a Cop program, and it changed his life.
“From that day forward I knew that I wanted to be in law enforcement,” Dearing said. “I know this program works and can be really beneficial. If it hadn’t been for that day when I was nine, I might not be on this side of the badge.”
The 30 students, who were selected to participate in the program by their school administrators, began their day with a procession in police cars from the police department to the Country Inn, with lights flashing and sirens blaring. After breakfast, the procession continued to the Hillsboro Walmart, where each child received $500 to spend on himself or herself for Christmas.
After shopping, the students were treated to lunch at Dakota Steakhouse and video games and a movie at Star Cinemas in Hillsboro.
After that, everyone returned to Mt. Orab. La Rosas supplied dinner, and the police officers and volunteers wrapped the presents, which will be delivered to the children on Christmas.
Kroger donates a Christmas dinner for the families of the participants in the program.
Country Inn manager Amanda Hensley said that the restaurant participates in the program because it is a really great experience for the students.
“Obviously, this is really wonderful for these kids,” Hensley said.
Hensley said that the restaurant donates the food for the breakfast, and that she and the servers donate their time to the event.
Patrolman Dearing said that he has seen the profound effects the program can have on the children.
He said that the program humanizes the police in the eyes of the children, who may have previously only seen them in a negative light.
“Last year when I picked my kid up he initially refused to go with me,” Dearing said. “When I took him home, he wanted to know when I was coming to see him again. And the school told me that after Shop with a Cop, some behavioral issues he had been having stopped.”
In addition to the businesses that directly contributed to the success of the day, many businesses and individuals across the county contribute to the program, and every police department in the county was represented.