Sixty elementary school children participated in the annual “Shop with a Cop” event hosted by Grays Harbor County law enforcement.

The students, who are selected by their teachers, were paired with law enforcement personnel to enjoy a free breakfast and holiday shopping at Walmart last weekend.

Unable to host the event last year due to COVID-19, the county’s law enforcement personnel were eager to participate in the joyful celebration again.

“It is something we all enjoy and look forward to. Having a year off certainly made this year special,” said Sgt. Shane Krohn of the Hoquiam Police Department, who coordinated the event for the first time this year.

Hosting the event during the pandemic certainly presented some challenges for Krohn and nearly 35 volunteers, but extra precautions were taken when serving the breakfast and special Shop with a Cop masks were distributed to the children and officers to commemorate the experience.

After enjoying breakfast at Hoquiam High School, the children were escorted to Walmart by a parade of law enforcement vehicles starting at the high school parking lot at 7:50 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 4.

“The kids were loaded up in the front passenger seat and got to sound the sirens. I happened to ride in the backseat of one of our patrol cars and watched Officer Slater’s assigned child excitedly pushing the buttons and changing the siren all the way to Walmart,” said Krohn.

After arriving at Walmart, students were accompanied by their assigned officer as they used their $100 gift cards to purchase presents for themselves and their families. According to Krohn, Nerf guns were the most popular gift selected by the children, but games, stuffed animals, blankets, and candy were also featured in their carts.

Planning for this year’s festivities started back in May. Shop with a Cop is a nationwide event that was brought to Grays Harbor by Betty Crass of Montesano in 1998. Some officers, such as Cosmopolis Chief Heath Layman, have been regular participants in the annual event since it was brought to the area.

Coordinator Sgt. Krohn is already looking to next year’s event, and has started on a list of improvements he’d like to see.

“I enjoyed being able to bring the event back, and I feel it ended up being very successful,” Krohn said.