By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Historically, the Great Bend Police Department and the Great Bend Fraternal Order of Police have engaged in a community outreach at Christmas time. The Shop with a Cop program is designed for police officers to provide Christmas gifts to children that are less fortunate.
Police Chief Steve Haulmark said each year, the Great Bend school district provides names and contact information for students whose families may be suffering hardships or financial difficulties.
"We then meet with those kids," said Haulmark. "We give them Walmart gift cards and shop with them. A lot of times, they buy stuff for their siblings and parents. It's really a neat deal."
The children are assisted by police officers and are able to select gifts with money that comes from Fraternal Order of Police fundraisers. With approximately $36,000 in the city’s municipal court diversion fund, the Great Bend City Council approved a $4,000 transfer from the fund to help with the Shop with a Cop program.
"The Fraternal Order of Police does this outreach effort but they also do several others," said Haulmark. "They have a scholarship, so their donations are stretched thin. This would go a long way toward ensuring that these children will have a nice Christmas."
Haulmark said there are typically 50 children identified for the program each year.