'Santa has the gift cards'
Charles H. Featherstone/Sun Tribune Isabel Esparze, 14, holds up a slime kit for her sister Aaliyah, 7, and Siri, 8, as something Aaliyah can buy during the Othello Police Department's annual Shop With a Cop on Saturday. Aaliyah was paired with Siri's father, Sgt. Anderson.
Charles H. Featherstone/Sun Tribune Othello Police officers, Othello Police Explorers and kids walk toward Walmart on Saturday following a pizza lunch for the annual Shop With a Cop event.
OTHELLO — Like most police operations, this one began with a briefing.
“We’re to stay together,” Othello Police Assistant Chief David Rehaume told a group of officers and Explorers Saturday morning. “We are role models for the day, so we make sure we follow traffic laws and use crosswalks and sidewalks.”
“Don’t cross mid-block or anything like that,” he added.
As Rehaume continued, it was clear this was not a typical police operation. If all went according to plan, no one was going to get arrested and no one was going to jail.
In fact, if everything went according to plan, eight families were going to get a nicer Christmas than they otherwise would have on this Shop with a Cop Saturday.
It’s something the Othello Police have done every years for the last 19 years.
“I like to be a positive role model for the kids,” said Patrol Sgt. Sean Anderson, a 12-year veteran of the OPD. “I was the school resource officer for about three-and-one-half years, and I would say that was my favorite position in the police department.”
Like a lot of police officers this time of year, Anderson — who was joined by his 8-year-daughter Siri — wants to help and even do some good for his neighbors and the community.
“I just really like to help out kids, they are the future. I like to show them too that not all cops are big and bad,” he added. “We really do care about people.”
As parents and kids gather, Rehaume continues his briefing, outlining the day’s activities, which included a pizza lunch at Time Out Pizza, time wrapping Christmas gifts at City Hall afterward and photos with Santa at Walmart.
“Everyone’s going to get a $125 Walmart gift card,” the assistant chief said. “For audit reasons, I need you to get two receipts, one for the family and one for the city. I need you to show that you spent the money.”
Because even doing good requires a bureaucratic paper trail. For transparency and good government.
“So spend the money,” he said.
“Does Santa have the gift cards?” asked Code Enforcement Officer Heather Miller.
“Santa has the gift cards,” Rehaume answered. “We will enter (Walmart) together as a group. There will be a reception there for us, I’m sure.”
And there was, with Walmart employees forming a tunnel and cheering on the police officers, Explorers, and their tiny charges for the day, cheering their company (“Give me a W!” “W!!” “Give me an A!” “A!!” and so on) and clapping wildly.
“We do this every year,” said Othello Walmart Manager America Marquez. “It’s important to give back to our community, and let people know we are supporting them.”
Marquez said Walmart employees were also involved putting together the Othello Community Christmas Baskets that morning as well.
Cody Esparza, whose 7-year-old daughter Aaliyah was picked to spend the morning the Anderson shopping at Walmart, said Aaliyah was excited from the moment she was picked.
“Every day was a countdown for her, it was an exciting countdown,” he said. “She was, ‘Daddy, Daddy, is it time yet? How many days are left?’ She was really excited, and was up around 6 o’clock this morning.”
Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com