When retired police officer George Cobb started St. Francois County’s Shop With a Cop program back in 1992, his goal was simple—to show children that police officers are the good guys. That they’re helpers, protectors, and people they can turn to when the world feels unkind.
What began with a few deputies and 56 children has grown into one of the largest Shop With a Cop programs in the nation, serving around 630 children throughout the Parkland. Entirely powered by community donations, the program raises around $100,000 each year through fundraisers, raffles, and local partnerships. Every dollar stays right here in St. Francois County, directly impacting local children and families.
The morning of the event feels like something out of a storybook. As buses roll into Walmart, red-and-blue lights reflect off the frosty pavement. Officers and first responders line the sidewalk in Santa hats and bright smiles, their breath visible in the cold morning air as they anxiously await their arrival.
Children step off the bus with shy grins, some clutching their coat sleeves, unsure of what to expect. Many have never been inside a store with money of their own. Others have never had the chance to pick something new, something just for them.
"Many of these kids come from broken homes and single-parent families where the only interactions they have had with law enforcement were not positive ones," explains Lora Henson, Program Coordinator and President of the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Association. "We want them to see the human side of police officers. We want them to know that they can run to us rather than from us."
Each child is paired with an officer and given $125 tax-free to spend on gifts. They carry folded lists, scribbled in uneven handwriting, often listing items for mom, dad, and siblings before ever mentioning themselves. When officers urge them to choose something special, many hesitate—because they’re not used to being told “yes.”
"It’s tear-jerking and gut-wrenching to see these kids in the shape they’re in, living in the greatest nation in the world," Lora says quietly. "They didn’t ask to be born into poverty, and it’s not their fault. Someday they’ll make their mark. Pray, with our help, it will be a positive one."
Sheriff Jeff Crites still remembers one little girl who changed his heart forever. “She wanted to buy a church dress,” he recalls softly with tears in his eyes. “Not toys or electronics…a dress for Sunday service. That moment humbled me, and reminded me of the true reason this program was started.”
Scenes like that unfold everywhere you look: an officer kneeling to help tie a child’s shoes, a firefighter crouched low so a little boy can whisper which toy is for his baby sister, a deputy quietly covering the few dollars a total went over without saying a word. Walmart associates wipe away tears as they help the process run smoothly, knowing they’ve witnessed something good in its purest form.
For a few hours each December, the uniforms and badges fade into something softer. The distance between law enforcement and community disappears. The store becomes a space filled with hope, laughter, and a kind of peace that feels holy.
For some children, it’s the first time they’ve ever shared a hug with a police officer. For others, it’s the first time they’ve felt seen, valued, or safe in the presence of authority. These moments plant seeds of trust that can last a lifetime, showing that the people behind the badge are also mentors, neighbors, and friends.
"Shop With a Cop is a group effort by caring people," Lora says. "We at the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department are proud of what it has become."
And when the last bus pulls away and the lights stop flashing, the silence that follows is heavy, but full. Officers linger, smiling through tears, knowing the difference they made that morning may be small to some, but everything to someone else.
What happens here isn’t about toys or totals. It’s about restoring a child’s sense of worth. It’s a quiet promise that even in the hardest seasons, when life feels unfair and heavy, love still wins. It’s proof that hope doesn’t always come wrapped in paper and ribbon. Sometimes it wears a uniform and whispers the words every heart needs to hear: you matter.
To learn more about St. Francois County’s Shop With a Cop program or to make a donation toward next year’s event, visit sfcgov.org/sheriff/shop-with-a-cop.
Because here in St. Francois County, giving isn’t just something we do during the holidays.
It’s who we are—and who we’ll always be.