WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - On the morning of December 11, the West Sacramento Police Department hosted its 7th annual Shop with a Cop Event.

This event hosted 30 local West Sacramento Youth on a $200 shopping spree at Walmart. Students are selected in conjunction with the Washington Unified School District Outreach Team, the Collings Teen Center and the Yolo County District Attorney’s office for a variety of reasons, including being at risk, family financial struggles, previous interaction with the judicial system and showing marked behavioral improvement. This event gave local youth an opportunity to have positive interactions with officers, and district attorneys, while adding a bit of holiday cheer to a time that is financially difficult for many West Sacramento families. In years past, this event has been the first opportunity for many local youths to purchase a gift not only for themselves, but family as well, and we anticipate this year will be no different.

The group met at 8:30 a.m. at the Collings Teen Center where students met the Officers and Deputy District Attorneys they will be paired with to shop. At approximately 9:00 a.m., there was a caravan from the Collings Teen Center to Walmart where the group met with Walmart Associates in the Garden Center before heading into the store to shop. Once shopping was completed and photos had been taken with Santa and his elves, the caravan returned to the Collings Teen Center where there was a light lunch and an opportunity for gift wrapping before the youth headed home.

This event is made possible through donations from Walmart and the Buena Vista Ranch of Me-Wuk Indians Community Fund in partnership with Washington Unified School District, and the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office.