Police converge on West Seattle store – for ‘Shop with a Cop’

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Quite the show of force from Seattle Police and King County Sheriff’s Office leaders inside Westwood Village Target a couple hours ago. Many in the lineup came all the way from downtown! No crime, though – instead, they were there for the annual “Shop with a Cop” school-supplies spree, in partnership with the Salvation Army, which donated tens of thousands of dollars of Target gift cards for the occasion. Outside, the young shoppers lined up:

Once inside the store, the law enforcers chaperoned the young shoppers, each of whom was given an $80 gift card, according to the news release on the SPD Blotter site.

bridge to somewhere August 10, 2010 (11:35 am)

what a cool program! thanks for volunteering!

add August 10, 2010 (11:37 am)

That is a very cool program!

MD TERP August 10, 2010 (11:50 am)

NOT a good day to shoplift!

Jamie August 10, 2010 (12:19 pm)

That is so awesome!! Its cool to see the softer side of someone who faces fear on a daily!

I. Ponder August 10, 2010 (12:41 pm)

I have to wonder what marketing genius thought of this. SHOP WITH A COP? Well, it rhymes, but does it have any positive effect at all? If it has some positive effect, what is it and is it a good use of time and resources?

What’s next, MOP WITH A COP or HOP WITH A COP?

Anne August 10, 2010 (2:40 pm)

Maybe these officers are off duty-volunteering their time-would that be an ok use of their time?
I think things that help build community ties especially with kids are worthwhile-thanks to all who participate.

I. Ponder August 10, 2010 (5:25 pm)

I see 8 cops and what is likely a PR liaison (in back with papers). I am betting this is not off-duty volunteering, but maybe WSB can chime in on this.

Often things that people “think” help build community ties, are just useless publicity stunts. From what I read, even the whole DARE program was deemed useless.

Building community ties is great. Do it on the job, on the street, every day, thank you.

WSB August 10, 2010 (5:57 pm)

These are folks from managerial ranks, as I understand it. We only saw one person from the SW Precinct; the lady in the black uniform is Ofcr. Renee Witt from the media unit (which too is based downtown). All around the region, this is an annual event, going on I don’t know how many years – national, in fact, if you read the news release to which we linked (which said the chief and sheriff would be at this location, but they weren’t). And it was fairly early in the morning (8 am) too. I would posit that having kids see law enforcers in a positive light, even for a short visit, has its merits. Yeah, it would be great if they could show up for basketball games, football games, baseball games, block parties – oh wait, they do that too. Bottom line, this wasn’t taking anybody off patrol. The one SWP officer we saw pulling up as we left is a Community Police Team officer. – TR

ad August 10, 2010 (6:41 pm)

Too bad it wasn’t “shop with a gay cop” at Target. :p

I. Ponder August 10, 2010 (7:22 pm)

My opinion stands. Dumb photo op. Minimal if any return on investment.

I’m taking that they’re from managerial ranks as meaning they’re not really needed anywhere.

Kids getting $80 gift certificates. Kids like $ (I like $). How this turns into “kids like cops” is over my simple mind.

Sorry to be so negative.

bridge to somewhere August 10, 2010 (8:48 pm)

@I Ponder: I’m guessing you don’t play the neighborhood Santa every year . . .

I. Ponder August 11, 2010 (8:01 am)

@bridge to nowhere:

I’m no Tea Partier, but this is a blatant waste of taxpayer $ even to a devout liberal like me. Cops should also NOT be playing Santa on company time and in uniform.

Better relations with the segment of the public that distrusts cops happens from how they interact with those people while on the job.