For Hub City Times

MARSHFIELD – It was “Shop with a Cop” in Marshfield again this year, and school resource officer Julie Leu-Martinek says the program pairs local young people with police officers for a chance to build some goodwill.

“Kids are picked to go shopping with police officers,” Leu-Martinek explained. “It’s an opportunity for us to build positive relationships with youth in our community.”

Each participant got some donated funds for a Christmas shopping spree according to the school resource officer.

“Each kid was given $120, and they were asked to spend half of it on themselves, and half of it on whoever else they wanted to buy Christmas presents for,” she added.

Then the kids got to chow down on donated treats and gift wrap their treasures.

“And then we met back at the Police Department where Scotty’s Pizza donated pizza for the kids,” Leu-Martinek said, “and the Marshfield Eagle’s Club donated cookies, and then we helped the kids wrap the gifts that they got for their family members.”

The event was funded by The Marshfield Professional Police Association, along with Target, Fleet Farm, Walmart, and Pepsi, and Marshfield Bus Service and one of their drivers donated the transportation for the shoppers.

This was the second event hosted by the Marshfield Police Department. The program expanded from 10 participants in 2018 to 17 this time around, and the police officers say they’re already looking forward to next year.