The Shop with a Cop program pairs children from low-income or struggling families with local police officers for a supervised shopping trip, usually around the winter holidays. Each selected child receives a gift card — commonly between $150 and $300, sometimes more — and spends it alongside an officer who helps pick out gifts and keep to the budget. The program is run locally by police departments, sheriff’s offices, Fraternal Order of Police lodges, and dedicated nonprofits in thousands of communities across the United States. There is no single national organization behind it.
How to Enroll a Child
Children are usually identified through one of three channels. School counselors and administrators are the most common source, because they already know which families are struggling. Officers who meet families through their regular duties nominate children as well. In some communities, parents or guardians can apply directly, though open-application programs often get many more requests than they can fill and turn away a share of applicants based on income or prior participation.
Applications for holiday events generally open in early to mid-fall, with deadlines in October or November. If you want your child considered, contact your local police department, sheriff’s office, or school counselor starting in September to ask about the timeline. Waiting until December almost always means missing the window.
Because programs are organized locally, finding yours takes a direct inquiry. Call or check the website of your police department or sheriff’s office and ask whether they run a Shop with a Cop event; many list it under community outreach. Searching online for “Shop with a Cop” with your city or county name will usually surface a program page, a news article, or a social media post with contact information. Local Fraternal Order of Police lodges often coordinate the program and can point you in the right direction when the department’s own website is silent.
Who Qualifies
The program targets children whose families are experiencing financial hardship, but the specific criteria differ from one community to the next. Some programs set age limits, with common ranges of 4 to 12 or 6 to 11. Others are more flexible. The common thread is need: organizers are looking for children who would otherwise go without during the holidays.
A smaller number of departments also run a back-to-school version of the program, which focuses on school supplies, clothing, and shoes instead of holiday gifts. Those events tend to include middle and high school students along with younger children.
What Event Day Looks Like
The format varies, but most Shop with a Cop events follow a recognizable pattern. The day usually starts with a group meal — breakfast or lunch — where children meet the officers they’ll be shopping with. The pairs then travel to a participating store, often a large chain like Walmart or Target. Each child gets a gift card loaded with a set amount and heads into the store with their officer.
Officers do more than supervise. They help younger children read price tags, encourage kids to think about gifts for siblings and parents rather than only themselves, and work through the budgeting out loud. For many children, this is their first time managing a spending limit. After checkout, volunteers at many events wrap the purchases so children leave with gifts ready to open.
Expect your child to be in the care of uniformed officers for several hours. Events are heavily supervised, with multiple officers and community volunteers present throughout.
Paperwork Parents Should Expect
Once a child is selected, organizers typically ask a parent or guardian to complete a few forms before event day. A signed liability waiver is standard, releasing the department and its officers from civil liability during the outing. Most programs also require a photo and social media release, since departments frequently photograph and publicize the event for community awareness and future fundraising. If you decline the photo release, some programs cannot include your child, so ask about that policy in advance if it matters to you.
If your child has medical needs or takes prescribed medications, note that on the enrollment paperwork so staff can respond appropriately during the event.
How Much Children Get to Spend
Budgets depend on how much a particular program raises in a given year. For holiday events, $150 to $300 per child is common, though some well-funded programs go higher. Back-to-school events have reached $400 per child in some communities.1National Policing Institute. The Importance of Shop with a Cop The money is almost always loaded onto a gift card for the participating retailer, so kids can check their remaining balance as they shop.
Officers encourage children to think beyond toys. Many kids use part of their budget on warm clothing, shoes, or household items the family needs, and it isn’t unusual for a child to spend a large share on gifts for parents and siblings rather than on themselves.
How Programs Are Funded and How to Help
Shop with a Cop runs almost entirely on donations. There is no federal grant or national funding pool; each local program raises its own money through individual contributions, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events like calendar sales, golf tournaments, charity runs, and holiday parades. Retail partners sometimes contribute by offering store discounts on event day or donating gift cards directly.
Many programs are organized under a 501(c)(3) nonprofit structure, either as standalone organizations or through a local police foundation. When a program has that status, donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.2Internal Revenue Service. Publication 526, Charitable Contributions You can confirm an organization’s status using the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool before contributing.
Volunteers matter as much as cash. Programs need people to coordinate logistics, manage registration, wrap gifts, prepare meals, and supervise children on event day. Businesses can get involved through corporate sponsorships or by hosting the shopping trip at their store. Reach out through the local police department or the program’s own website, if one exists.