December 11, 2024 10:00 a.m.  

This Saturday, uniformed officers and support staff from local law enforcement agencies will be volunteering their time to help provide a brighter Christmas for foster children in Douglas County.

The annual “Shop with a Cop” will take place at the Roseburg Walmart store from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Organizer Andrea Zielinski said the selected foster children will be paired up with a police officer and given money to buy Christmas gifts for their families. Zielinski said the officers will help the children pick out gifts for their family members and then help wrap them. Before leaving, each child is given their own gift and a stocking filled with goodies from Santa.

Zielinski said the purpose of the event is to help make the holiday season brighter for these children and to give them the opportunity to interact with law enforcement in a positive setting.

Shop with a Cop is fully funded from local donations. Zielinski said she would like to thank Christmas for Kids of Douglas County for their generous donations to make the event possible. Zielinski also thanked the Roseburg Walmart store for hosting and for all their in-kind donations. She said that many volunteer elves make the event possible as well.

Participating law enforcement agencies are the: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, police departments in Roseburg, Sutherlin, Winston and Myrtle Creek, Oregon State Police, Cow Creek Tribal Police Department, Bureau of Land Management Rangers, and Douglas County Corrections.