Cops on the Christmas beat

The Saukville Police Department made sure that 25 area children who have faced a rough year have a Christmas to remember with its 11th annual Shop with a Cop event last week.

The kids, who were nominated by county school districts because of everything from a recent move to a death in the family, were each paired with an officer from area law enforcement agencies and went Christmas shopping at Blain’s Farm and Fleet or Walmart for their families and friends.

Saukville Police Sgt. Robert Ramthun said the event is a “big deal” for many of the kids and their families.

At the end of shopping excursion, when officers were piling the then-wrapped gifts and donated meals of ham, pies and rolls into one mother’s car, “she was holding back tears,” he said.

 The event lets officers make an early, positive impression on the children, Ramthun said.

“I’ve been able to keep in touch with them,” he said. “Sometimes it’s not because  of the greatest reasons we are catching up.

“But, I think it does help keep them on the straight and narrow.”

Ramthun said each year feels very different since the children come from unique backgrounds.

“I don’t always know the reason they were chosen. We’ve had kids who had fires in their households or had their parents divorce or whose families are just struggling money wise,” he said.

This year, he was paired with a 14-year-old boy whose three other brothers were also matched with officers. When Ramthun asked what he wanted for himself, the boy just wanted clothes.

Most of the shopping is for the children’s family and friends, Saukville Police Administrative Assistant Kimberly Buechler, who organizes the event, said.

“The goal is get kids to think about giving,” she said.

“Sometimes you’ll get kids who are buying for eight or 10 people,” she said. “The amount of money has gone up through the years but sometimes kids go over.”

The officers will often quietly step up to cover the difference, she said.

Donations from random shoppers are also common. This year, a Walmart shopper approached an officer and offered $20.

“The cop said, ‘I can’t take it, but he can,’ and pointed at the kid he was paired with,” Ramthun said. “He was so excited, it made his day. Later, he ran up to his mom and said, ‘I got 20 bucks!’”

After shopping, the officers and children went to the police station to wrap the gifts and were met by Santa.

“Just seeing the kids with Santa and them having a great time is so fun to see,” Ramthun said.

Prime Minister Family Restaurant in Thiensville donated the event’s breakfast.

Walmart, Blain’s Farm and Fleet, Rebel Manufacturing, Mile Rock Site Solutions and Lakeside Pepsi all contributed to the event.

Target donated wrapping paper and supplies along with board games for gifts and Starbucks donated bags of coffee as thank you gifts for the officers.