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Hoffman Estates police officers take children shopping for gifts

Shopping carts filled with clothes, shoes, video games and a lot of toys ensured that dozens of underprivileged children from Hoffman Estates schools will have Christmas gifts for themselves and their families.

The kids were able to spend up to $200 each during a Saturday shopping spree at the Hoffman Estates Target store. It was all part of the annual Shop with a Cop program, which pairs children with local police officers for the holiday shopping trip.

A similar event happened Saturday morning in Bloomingdale, where DuPage County sheriff's deputies and local police officers took children on a trip to the Bloomingdale Meijer store. The Vernon Hills and Lincolnshire police departments, meanwhile, co-hosted their second Cops and Kids event.

Hoffman Estates police Lt. Carl Baumert says the shopping trips are a more visible form of the community outreach that suburban police officers do each day.

"This gives them the opportunity to really focus an entire morning on these kids," Baumert said. "When you walk around and see the officers shopping with these kids, sometimes you can't tell who is having more fun."

Saturday's event in Hoffman Estates was organized by the Hoffman Estates Police Charitable Foundation. Money for the gift purchases was raised through donations and fundraising.

Organizers raised so much money that they were able to invite 55 children, which is more than last year. The kids were paired up with officers from Hoffman Estates, South Barrington, Inverness and the Illinois State Police.

Hoffman Estates police officer Adam Marak said one of the reasons he became a police officer was to help people. So he enjoys participating in the Shop with a Cop program each year.

He said the event sends a positive message to the young children that he and other officers meet.

"We're not out here just to put bad guys in jail," Marak said. "We're also here to help the community. We're here to help them."

Matt Jones, another Hoffman Estates police officer, said he enjoys seeing the kids get what they want.

"I want them to be able to have a Christmas like I can give to my own children," Jones said.

He said some of the items on the shopping lists are not what you'd expect.

"I'm always surprised by how much the kids wants clothes or a pair of shoes," Jones said. "As a kid, I just wanted toys."

  Hoffman Estates police officer Matt Jones says the toys and other items children bought during Saturday's Shop with a Cop event will give them something to look forward to on Christmas. "The anticipation of the gift is half the fun," he said. Robert Sanchez/bsanchez@dailyherald.com
  Hoffman Estates police officer Brian O'Shea helps an 11-year-old girl find gifts during Saturday's Shop with a Cop event at the Hoffman Estates Target store. Robert Sanchez/bsanchez@dailyherald.com
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