Austin children participate in annual Shop with a Cop event

AUSTIN, Texas - Children from Austin ISD came to Target by the bus-load with a mission to Christmas shop. 

The 94 children who participated were not on their own because each child was paired up with an Austin police officer as part of the department’s Shop with a Cop event.

Each child received $175 to spend on anything their heart desired. This was made possible through donations raised throughout the year by Amigos en Azul, a nonprofit representing hispanic officers within APD.

"A lot of these kiddos are a lot less fortunate than others, and most of them actually want to buy clothes, and they want to just buy things for their families, like just common household items that you wouldn't think that a kid would ask in their Christmas shopping list," said APD Officer Vanessa Jimenez, President of Amigos en Azul.

The point of this event is to give back to these kids, so they have a great Christmas, but it is also to show these kids that police officers are friendly.

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"They get to see that we're just people like them and that we're trying to make an impact on their lives and trying to give back to them, and the kids love it," said Officer Jimenez.

Interim APD Chief Robin Henderson says this event was just as fun for her officers as it was for the kids.

"They very much enjoy being able to interact with the children, seeing the smiles on their faces, and knowing that they're doing something that's going to, you know, just make that holiday season just that much better," said Chief Henderson.

The second Shop with a Cop event will take place at Target in Southpark Meadows from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. After that, a total of 300 children will have participated.