Elementary students in Tupelo get to shop with a cop

Community wide partnership provides Christmas gifts for kids

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – It was a shopping trip 16 kids won’t forget and it was just in time for Christmas.

Students arrived in style at the West Main Walmart for this shopping spree.

Four students from each of the four elementary schools in the Tupelo School District were selected by their counselors for “Shop With A Cop.”

Students were paired with a police officer and a Walmart associate, and after a photo op, it was time to shop.

Each student had $300 to spend, but if they went over that amount, it was taken care of.

What else are you going to get besides a drone?

“A nerf gun, clothes, jeans, shirts, socks, and shoes,” said Savaetis.

What is fun about shopping with a cop?

“To meet the cop in general and have that experience, getting to meet, some kids have the dream of being a cop, doing this, having an interaction with that could spiral that dream,” said Carsyn.

Shop with a Cop was made possible with help from partners in the community.

“Shop with a Cop means a lot, giving back to our community and supporting the kids,” said Jarvey Grice, Manager for the West Main Wal Mart.

Police officers had just as much fun as the kids.

“It’s a good event it shows the kids we do care and the community, lets them know we’re not just out here writing tickets, bringing people to jail, we want to be part of the community and giving back to the community,” said Capt. Jon Bramble, with the Tupelo Police Department.

This is the fifth year for Shop with a Cop. The community-wide effort helps make Christmas brighter for kids and also helps build stronger relationships between police and young people.

After the shopping spree, the kids were taken to police headquarters for lunch.

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