Shop With a Cop helps underprivileged kids in Albany

ALBANY — A drizzling rain on Saturday couldn’t stop kids from showing up at Kmart on Dawson Road to shop with an Albany police officer or other volunteer. More than 100 children of economically challenged parents strolled expectantly through the toy lanes, selecting their favorites to be opened Christmas day.

“We’ve done Shop With a Cop for more than 25 years,” said Richard Heim, with Albany Lodge 2 of the Fraternal Order of Police. “It’s been one of the more successful and rewarding things to have a small child come over with a hug and say, ‘Thank you, police officers, for making my Christmas better than what it would have been.’”

But as happy as it makes the kids, there’s more to the program than toys at Christmas, Heim said. The FOB is looking toward changing attitudes toward those in the “thin blue line,” starting with youngest in the community.

“The program gives children a more rewarding attitude toward the officers,” Heim said. “It gets them thinking of (the officers) more as their friends than as their enemies.”

FOB officials say the families are located and selected through a number of sources, including churches and community organizations. Each child may be assigned a general shopping limit of around $25 for the day, depending on age, size of the family and funds available for the event.

Officer Chris Baltenberger with the Albany Police Department was powering his shopping cruiser Saturday with 6-year-old Micheria Clyde and her brother Jaidyn Holman, 9.

“I’ve done it for the past three years,” Baltenberger said. “It’s a great cause. It shows kids that police officers aren’t just the people who show up to arrest other people. We’re normal people they can approach for help if something is wrong.”

Another veteran of Shop With a Cop is Officer Janel Cody with the APD gang unit, back for her sixth year shopping with the program, this time with 6-year-old Antrone Grant Jr.

“I volunteer because I love kids,” Brown said. “I’m just a big kid myself with three of my own so I enjoy it. Plus, I think it gives (children) a better understanding of police. It bridges the gap and makes it more acceptable for them to talk to us.”

Antrone’s mother, Lasandrea Brown, said her son woke her early Saturday so they wouldn’t miss the action.

Asareuben Wallace, recent law enforcement graduate and member of the Albany State University Criminal Justice Club, showed up to help Jamiah Bishop, 6, and her sister Diamond Edwards, 4, secure their Snow Glow Elsa doll and whatever else might fit into their budget.

“I like doing this kind of thing,” Wallace said, “this is pretty good right here — going with the kids and seeing what they want. It’s totally different from when I was their age.”

“I really appreciate the program,” said Kajaal Edwards, mother of the girls. “As long as you continue to bless others, usually you’ll be blessed as well.”

Heim says he continues to be proud of the Albany Shop With a Cop program for how it benefits the families and even for what he believes is a general positive affect for law enforcement.

“K-mart has been with us for all these many years,” Heim said. “Every time we’ve asked them for a little bit of help their response has been overwhelming.”