Cal State Fullerton Police Department is hosting its third annual Shop with a Cop event this holiday season, a festive evening that pairs police officers with local children and families for a holiday shopping spree.
While police departments across the nation host similar programs, CSUF Public Information Officer Marissa Garza said the Titan version holds a distinction.
“There are quite a few police departments that offer this opportunity to their community members across the country, so Shop with a Cop isn’t a new concept,” Garza wrote in an email to the Daily Titan. “However, I believe we are the first police department in the CSU system to find a way to do it on campus.”
The event began as an idea from CSUF Police Department Detective Adam Kashe, who wanted to bring a new form of community engagement to CSUF.
“We’ve been pushing forward ever since,” Garza wrote. “But without the generous donations from our department personnel, Target, the TAPP Center and Santa, none of this would be possible. We get as much out of this opportunity as we hope the children and their families do.”
This year marks an important expansion for the program. Previously funded entirely by CSUF Police Department personnel, staff and one community member, Shop with a Cop has now opened a crowdfunding campaign to invite the broader community to participate.
“Even with the ability to donate, Shop with a Cop will be almost entirely personally funded by our department as it has been since the beginning,” Garza wrote. “We’re reaching out to the community because the Titans we’re helping are part of this community and we know people want to help.”
The department partners closely with the Transfer, Adult Reentry, Parenting and Pregnant Student Center, which identify families most in need. With additional community support, Garza hopes the event can expand beyond the shopping trip itself.
“Our goal isn’t just to help during the holiday season, but to develop lasting relationships built on mutual respect and trust,” Garza wrote. “With community help, we hope to offer a pre-shopping dinner at our station that will allow us to get to know one another.”
For Kashe, the event is as meaningful as it is festive.
“It means the world to us to connect with our campus community during this collaboration with the TAPP Center,” Kashe wrote in an email to the Daily Titan. “Many of our officers are CSUF alumni, which makes it even more meaningful knowing we can help current students during the holiday season.”
Shop with a Cop wouldn’t be complete without Santa himself. Santa Jay Jones, who works with the CSUF Police Department, spreads holiday cheer whenever he gets the chance.
“I aim to make sure kids have an unforgettable experience by engaging with them warmly and creating magical moments through personalized interactions,” Jones wrote in an email to the Daily Titan. “Watching the police officers pick out gifts with the children reminded me how much joy a small act of kindness can bring.”