Law enforcement from Greene County will be playing their part of Santa’s Little Helpers with an annual holiday tradition later this week.

Greene County Sheriff Jack Williams says Shop With A Cop is happening on Saturday, where eight to ten kids that the two school districts in Greene County have identified as those needing a little extra holiday cheer and have parental permission to be a part of, will be picked up at the Law Enforcement Center Administrative building in Jefferson by a school bus and driven to Walmart in Boone to do shopping for each of their family members and themselves. He points out that each kid has $150 to spend, which Walmart gives back with a grant to them each year. Williams appreciates the grant they get from Walmart, as well as other previous donations, as they are sitting in a good position with funding for this program.

“The first few years that we did it, we had really, really good support. We continue to have support. We’re actually set to where if we didn’t bring in any money in for Shop With A Cop, we could still fund it for the next five or six years.”  

Williams describes what he’s favorite part of Shop With A Cop is.

“Just being with the kids. You get to meet a lot of the kids that you normally don’t see because they’re in class or at home with their parents. And just listening to them (with) all the different stories you get to hear, it’s funny.”

Several deputies with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Police Officers and the Greene County Attorney are typically the ones that are with the youth during Shop With A Cop.