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Thursday, October 15, Bainbridge Public Safety began accepting applications for their annual Shop with A Cop program.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s shopping experience will be somewhat different, but still promises to bring joy to children’s faces on Christmas morning.

Coordinator, Janette Mowry said this year’s application includes two pages for parents to fill out their children’s wish list; volunteers will then take the wish list and go shopping to buy the gifts.

Once purchasing the gifts, they will then return to BPS headquarters and wrap up the gifts, where the families can pick them up on December 18 or 21 and kids can meet Santa.

“We hate it has to be this way,” Mowry said. “We love seeing the kids shop with a cop, but it just doesn’t make health conscience sense to have 80 plus people all in one place together.”

In addition to this change, Mowry has also decided to allow for more than three children per family to participate. The application now allows for four children, and allows parents to pick their own meat for Christmas.

In the past, Mowry said families were given a basket that contained goods for a Christmas dinner, but it was difficult for BPS to know if those food items were truly something every member liked. Picking the main meat will ensure that the family is guaranteed to have something they all enjoy.

Applications are available at BPS headquarters, but they must be returned by November 6. Everyone who turned in an application will be notified by November to let them know if they have been selected to participate in the annual program.

For those who have not been chosen, BPS has put together a toy drive to help; they will be accepting toys now until Thursday, December 17.

Toys can be dropped off between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. To schedule a toy pick-up call 229-248-2038.
BPS looks forward to another exciting year with the children and making their Christmas wishes a reality through the help of the community.