Area police giving back

Area police giving back Children will do holiday shopping with officers

Talking Points - Takes place Nov. 21 - Police officers help out - Lunch and procession to Walmart in Gardner Tara Vocino Reporter TEMPLETON The deadline for elementary-aged children to write an entry letter for next weekend’s Shop with a Cop program is this Saturday. Templeton and Phillipston patrolmen will shop with children to create a positive experience between local children and their police departments, just in time for the holidays. To be considered, applicants must send a brief letter, explaining for whom they would like to buy gifts for this season and why by Saturday, Nov. 21. Participants will be provided with a gift card for Walmart in Gardner to buy holiday presents for themselves and/or family members. The day will begin with children having lunch with a law enforcement officer in the Nar­ragansett Regional High School cafeteria, followed by a law enforcement procession from the high school to Walmart and back. Saturday will conclude with patrolmen helping children to wrap their Christmas gifts. Se­l­ected participants will be no­­­tified via tel­ephone. C­o­­­n­t­act in­f­or­­m­ation f­or pa­rents/guardians sh­­ould be in­cluded with the children's en­try le­t­ter. The Shop with a Cop program is open to children in kindergarten to the sixth grade. Patrolman Nicholas Malnati, the event organizer, said Phillipston Police Officer Bill Chapman will conduct a presentation with his dog, Tessie, during lunch. There will be a surprise visit from a certain jolly man in red. But gifts aren’t specific to celebrating Christmas. Since children will give their own gifts, Hanukkah and gifts for other religious tradition would be appropriate. Mr. Malnati said it is a team effort. Children will do a ride-along in the cruiser. “Mostly, the entire department will be involved, except for the few officers whom are working their shift that day,” Mr. Malnati said. “Those officers will be helping in other ways. Depending on the number of applicants and those chosen to participate, we will use our cruisers and officers to transport the children to and from Walmart to give them a special experience while shopping with the officers.” Anyone wishing to donate can either mail a payment to the the Police Department, 33 South Road, Templeton, MA 01468, drop it off at the station. Make the check payable to the Templeton Police Association. Mr. Malnati said the department plans to make Shop with a Cop an annual event, and it is brewing ideas for similar events to build relationships with community youth.