Joining forces

EPHRATA — While Shop With a Cop is not a new concept to law enforcement in the Columbia Basin, this is the first time that the Soap Lake and Ephrata Police Departments joined forces to host their separate events together this year.

Shop With a Cop is an annual event where law enforcement will take selected families in need in their area Christmas shopping. It always brings smiles to all involved.

Soap Lake Police Chief Ryan Cox said his favorite part, year after year, is seeing the smiles on the children’s faces and the burdens lifted from their parents’ shoulders.

“The reactions from the parents — just the relief come off their faces when we buy all the stuff,” he said. “Not just toys, but clothes, and groceries that they desperately need but can’t afford.”

Ephrata Police Officer Marvin Canizales agreed and said the smiles and joy from the families made his first year of Shop With a Cop special.

Being able to send the family away and help the child pick out gifts for the other members, so that they would still be surprised when they opened their gifts, was a moment that stood out to Ephrata Police Officer Chandler Gribble. This was also his first year participating in the event. 

“The selflessness of the older siblings trying to pick stuff for the younger siblings and the rest of the family,” said Ephrata Police Officer Todd Hufman.

Selflessness is something spoken about a lot at the Shop With a Cop event each year. Time and Time again officers speak of the selflessness they see in the children to think of their other family members' wants and needs before their own.

“When we’re having to prompt them to pick gifts for themselves because they’ve gotten plenty for their siblings, that’s really neat,” said Hufman.

Ephrata Police Chief Erik Koch also mentioned how selfless the children are.

“A majority of them get something either for the family or another sibling first and that’s pretty awesome to see they’re that unselfish that they would rather get something for their families than themselves,” Koch said.

The event is also a time when law enforcement can have a positive interaction with members of the community and build a relationship since some families they have sponsored may have had negative contact with police in the past.

Both Soap Lake and Ephrata have held Shop With a Cop for at least the last five years. Each agency funds the event separately and in separate ways. Soap Lake funds their families through several avenues; Tip A Cop event, donations, community grants and funds from their Benevolent Fund if needed. Ephrata funded theirs through a community grant from Walmart that Soap Lake also received. With the funds this year, Soap Lake sponsored four families and Ephrata, two.

“That’s why we come (to Walmart), is to give back to who supported us,” Cox said. “They’ve done it every year for the past several years.”

After shopping, the Ephrata Walmart opened its back room for the officers and families to wrap gifts and eat pizza. Time Out Pizza in Ephrata also gave the event a discount for their order, allowing their funds to go that much farther with the families.

“It’s just to be able to take our families in need in our communities and provide them with basic essentials along with one or two toys so the child gets to have an actual Christmas or holidays, whatever they want to celebrate,” said Cox. “But to know that the child and family goes home with a full stomach and warm clothes, that’s the most important thing.”

Rebecca Pettingill is a freelance writer and photographer based in Ephrata.

    The children were able to pick out not only toys for themselves and their families, but also any other needs such as clothes, personal hygiene items or groceries.
 Rebecca Pettingill/Special to the Columbia Basin Herald   

    A girl smiles as Soap Lake Police Officer Robert Geates holds her up to see if she would fit any of the clothes on the rack at the 2023 Shop With a Cop event.
 Rebecca Pettingill/Special to the Columbia Basin Herald   

    Officers work hard wrapping the gifts just bought during the 2023 combined Ephrata and Soap Lake Shop With a Cop event.
 Rebecca Pettingill/Special to the Columbia Basin Herald   

    A girl picks out a toy to put in her shopping cart at the Shop With a Cop event Monday at the Ephrata Walmart.
 Rebecca Pettingill/Special to the Columbia Basin Herald   

    Ephrata Police Officer Marvin Canizales smiles as he speaks with a family during the Shop With a Cop event Monday night.
 Rebecca Pettingill/Special to the Columbia Basin Herald