For the more than two dozen kids that participated in the San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office’s annual Blue Santa program, interaction with the police isn’t always a happy time in their lives.
Chosen from throughout the county based on economic need and circumstance, more often than not contact with law enforcement typically means that somebody that they know – often somebody that they’re close to – is going to jail.
But the event that provides every child with $200 in spending money at Target and a peace officer to take them through the store to purchase gifts aims to change all of that – to show the kids that police officers are there to help and even go to the extra mile to make sure that they have something they can smile about during the holidays.
“It bridges that gap between law enforcement and the community, and it puts a smile on the face of these kids – there’s nobody that doesn’t like to see that,” said Lathrop Police Chief Ryan Biedermann, who helped organize Thursday’s event. “They might not otherwise have the ability to have a Christmas, and this event allows us to provide for these kids and these families in the spirit of the season.”
And it truly takes a village to pull off the event.
As the beneficiary of a $5,000 Target community grant, the agency works all year to identify kids that would benefit from participating in the program – from School Resource Officers throughout San Joaquin County that find out from school officials who has the most need to officers on the street who encounter families that are struggling to provide for their children.
With the assistance of Lathrop Sunrise Rotary who helps organize a breakfast for the families to enjoy while the kids are out shopping with officers and Second Harvest Food Bank which provides a basket full of food items so that families can enjoy a Christmas meal together, the event provides a full-service Christmas experience that many people often take for granted.
And with support from local schools and the San Joaquin County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, the $200 that is designated for each child can grow to upwards of $500 per child when other things are added in.
The extra funding, Biedermann said, became apparent when the kids were out shopping with deputies and correctional officers and often used their entire allotment to make sure that everybody else in their family got gifts.
“We have to remind them that they need to get something for themselves as well – when given the chance they’re buying for their siblings and wanting to help others first,” Biedermann said. “We’ll have deputies that will buy bikes and pick up other things to make it an event that they’ll never forget.
“It’s all about putting a smile on the face of these kids.”
Because Lathrop Police Services is the only jurisdiction that is managed by the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office that has a physical Target location, Lathrop is routinely the place where the shopping spree takes place.
To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.
