Newtown Twp Police Hosting Its First-Ever 'Shop With A Cop' Event

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — Officers with the Newtown Township Police Department will be hosting their first-ever Shop With a Cop event this holiday season.

Shop With a Cop is a national program that pairs police officers with children for a day of shopping for themselves and their family members. "The program allows children to view police officers in a different atmosphere and promote positive relationships," according to information from the Newtown Township Police Department.

Elementary students from the Council Rock School District and St. Andrews Elementary School will be selected to participate.

"These children face life challenges such as a parent losing a job, homelessness, military deployment, economic shortcomings, and other hardships," the department explained in a press release.

Each child will have a $150 gift card as they shop with an officer on Dec. 2 at the Target store in Langhorne.

Corporal Paul Deppi tells Patch the Newtown Township Police Department will be hosting 36 children from 26 families. They'll be working with Middletown Township Police Department for assistance as they embark on the popular holiday program.

Council Rock School District employees will help the department identify families in need who live in Newtown Borough, and Newtown, Wrightstown and Upper Makefield townships.

According to Deppi, the children (with help from their parents) will prepare a shopping list of gift ideas for their family members as well as a gift for themselves. "There will be an option for any special item such as a coat, groceries, etc.," Deppi said.

For example, he noted, last year he participated with Quakertown Police Department for the Shop With a Cop event. "The little girl I was paired up with only ever wore a boys' winter coat as the family could only pass down the coat from three older brothers, so we were able to get her a pink coat," he explained.

The department is hoping to raise $5,000 for this year's campaign.

Volunteers from the community will assist with gift wrapping and registration. Police officers from Newtown Township, Newtown Borough and Upper Makefield will volunteer their own time to support the program.

Donations are currently being accepted to help fund the local Shop With a Cop effort. If you would like to help, mail a check (make it out to Middletown Community Foundation and in the memo line write SWAC/Newtown Twp or Shop with a Cop/Newtown Twp) and send to:

Middletown Township Police Department, Attn: Melissa Robison
5 Municipal Way
Langhorne, PA 19047

A tax/donation letter can be prepared upon request.

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