Detectives and dollhouses. That's not the usual sight at Walmart on a weekend morning, but Saturday was not the average shopping day.
It happened to be Miami Gardens’ “Shop with a Cop” event, when local police officers come off patrol to push shopping carts filled with free Christmas presents.
For four years, the Miami Gardens Kiwanis Club and Miami Gardens Police Department have teamed up for “Shop with a Cop.”
This year, 130 students were selected from Miami Gardens schools. Each student got $75 to spend on Christmas gifts for themselves and others, and an officer to help do the heavy lifting at the Walmart Super Center on NW 27th Avenue.
Some kids, like Lishae Roberts, had been waiting for this day for a very long time.
"[I was] jumping up and down, and going to bed at six or seven o'clock, just to make sure the days passed by quicker,” she said looking at her shopping cart.
She even showed NBC Miami a few of her purchases, which included a huge hula hoop, a tutu, a 3-D picture viewer, and much more.
Although the officers don’t get any free presents, they said being part of the event was reward enough.
“It's outstanding to give back to the community, I love it,” said Detective Joseph Zellner.
Although the holiday spirit took center stage, the hope is that the bonds forged will last much longer.
“It helps to really change the perception, and enhance the relationships with the children and the police department, which is very important,” added Miami Gardens Mayor Shirley Gibson.
To cover all the costs, organizers said they work all year raising money throughout the community to make this special day happen for deserving kids in the Miami Gardens community.
