OBPD Launching Shop With A Cop And Santa On Patrol

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Ormond Beach, FL - Kids around the Ormond area will have a chance to receive and spread a little holiday cheer around the city.

First up is Ormond's 3rd Annual "Shop With a Cop" program, which is a combined effort of the Ormond Beach Police Department and the local Ormond Beach Walmart. This program takes selected students from Ormond Beach Elementary, Osceola Elementary, Pine Trail Elementary, Pathways Elementary and Pine Trail Elementary and pairs them up with officers.

From there, they get a special ride to Walmart where the event begins.

"We escort them in a bus and we'll have all kinds of police vehicles that will escort them to Walmart with lights and sirens," said Officer Marianne Mele from OBPD. "They will each get a $100 gift card and they'll be paired up with an officer to do some Christmas shopping."

Those gifts they buy can go to them and their families. The aim of the program is to create a positive relationship by pairing officers with students to help spread some holiday cheer.

All of that kicks off tomorrow (December 6th).

Then the following week, on Monday (December 9th), Wednesday (December 11th) and Friday (December 13th), Ormond Beach police kick off Santa on Patrol. That means that Santa Claus will trade his sleigh for an Ormond Beach Police Department cruiser. Once he makes his trade, Ol' Kris Kringle will hit the streets on patrol with toys while he's on the lookout for good girls and boys.

As for where exactly he's going to be, no one really knows, it's all a surprise.

"It could be any time during the day, it's all day long," said Officer Mele.

Anyone with questions on either event can contact Officer Mele by calling (386) 676-3553 or by emailing her at marianne.mele@ormondbeach.org