Probation, DA Staff Lead Shop With a Cop Spree

Deputy Probation Officer Michael Keeley and two lucky girls take a breather during a previous Shop With a Cop event.
After 12 months of planning and fundraising, it’s now down to the little details for Saturday’s 20TH Shop With a Cop. The holiday event involves law enforcement from across the region but is cohosted this year by the County Probation Department and District Attorney’s Office. It pairs underprivileged children with an officer or two and gives them a fun morning that culminates in a $100 shopping spree at Target.

Supervising Probation Officer Linda Yoakum-Latimer and Supervising District Attorney Investigator Julio Barrios usually participate by taking a child shopping, but this time they took the lead in planning the event.

“It’s been challenging, but our goal was to raise the bar on it,” said Yoakum-Latimer of all the planning and fundraising.

The goal was met by reaching out to the community more with fundraising, coming up with new fundraisers such as a softball tournament and a motor poker run, inviting all law enforcement agencies in the County and hosting a logo design contest among Juvenile Hall youth, she said. The final logo was a combination of the three best entries, said Yoakum-Latimer.

Shop With a Cop is such a positive experience for the children and officers, said Yoakum-Latimer. She is thrilled that she had this opportunity to organize this year’s event with the help of other probation officers and the District Attorney’s Office.  

“It’s certainly a worthwhile function, it is worth the effort, but it is time consuming. Linda has been an absolute rock star with this event. It could not have happened without her,” said Barrios.

The planning committee sent out corporate letters to get sponsorships and organized fundraising events to raise enough money to hold the event. SeaWorld, Target, STAR/PAL, and the San Diego Crime Commission also help sponsor the event.

This year, approximately 330 third-grade children were selected by school counselors to go on the shopping spree and approximately 360 officers from law enforcement agencies across the county including federal and state officers will participate. The kids and their law enforcement partners will also be treated to breakfast and a private animal show at SeaWorld first before caravanning over to the Midway area Target store with lights and sirens blaring.

Yoakum-Latimer happily lists all the things that are planned which includes having Chief Probation Officer Mack Jenkins lead the caravan, Santa Claus flying overhead in a police helicopter and then landing at Target, free giftwrapping for the children, and a law enforcement vehicle display fair.

“It’s about giving and it’s kind of an exciting thing. My heart is in this,” said Yoakum-Latimer.