Shop cop

On Saturday December 14, 2019, the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit held their annual “Shop with a Cop” program. The 2019 “Shop with a Cop” program took place at the Niles area Walmart.

Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit members Kimberly Fedison and Katie Bauer spent countless volunteer hours organizing this event. The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit was able to obtain over $6,000 in donations to cover the costs of this event.

This year the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit partnered with the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Chaplains, the Berrien County Animal Control Office, the Berrien Springs – Oronoko Township Police Department, the Saint Joseph Department of Public Safety, the Benton Harbor Area Boys & Girls Club, and the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Sworn Deputies to make this year’s “Shop with a Cop” program a success.
The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit along with the partner agencies and organizations assisted eight (8) families and twenty-two (22) children by allowing the children to shop for Christmas gifts for themselves, their family members, and their friends. In addition to providing the funding to allow the children to shop, the Berrien County Sheriff’s office Reserve Unit also provided holiday food baskets, Christmas Trees, and gift cards to the eight families, so they could enjoy a wonderful holiday feat, have a wonderful holiday celebration with gifts under the tree, as well as enabling them to purchase a “special gift” for their entire families to enjoy.

The eight families and children were from the Niles area, the Berrien Springs area, the New Buffalo area, and the Benton Harbor area.

The “shopping” consisted of the families and children being adopted by law enforcement officers and then proceeding through the entire Walmart store to select and purchase the gifts they desired for themselves and their loved ones.

After the shopping spree, the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit members and the members of the partner agencies and organizations took the children and their families to Michiana Christian Embassy in Niles for snacks and gift wrapping with members of Michiana Christian Embassy.

The eight families and their children were referred to the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office by various schools and civic organizations, who felt they could use the assistance this year.

Prior to conducting the shopping spree, the children also had the opportunity to have their picture taken with McGruff the Crime Fighting Canine.
The following businesses and/or civic organizations donated money, goods, and services to this function. Without these donations, the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit along with the partner agencies and organizations would not have been able to assist the eight families and their children.

Niles area Walmart
Pike Funeral Home & Cremation Services.
Michiana Christian Embassy
Honor Credit Union
Wightman & Associates
D.A. Dodd
Lane Automotive
Michiana Recycling & Disposal
Midwest Waste Solutions
Milano Pizza of Niles
Thrive Psychology
Conybeare Law Office
Red Bud Recreation Inc.
Fort Miami CrossFit.
Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit
Friends for Berrien Springs.

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit Deputies take great pride in assisting families that need assistance especially during the holiday season. The smiles of gratitude on the faces of these children and the “hugs” provided by the adults and children to the Deputies and Officers are something that the Deputies and Officers will always remember. Sheriff L. Paul Bailey and the administrative staff at the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office are extremely proud of the efforts put forth by the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit for this wonderful cause as well as all of their volunteer hours they donate to the County of Berrien and the local municipalities throughout the year, to ensure that the County of Berrien, it’s local communities, and the surrounding areas are a wonderful place to reside and visit.
The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Personnel and all local law enforcement and first responders are proud to serve and protect their communities on a daily basis by protecting and serving, as well as providing support at times individuals need assistance.
The members of the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, the Berrien County Animal Control Office, the Berrien Springs – Oronoko Township Police Department, the Saint Joseph Department of Public Safety, and the Benton Harbor area Boys & Girls Club want to wish everyone “Peace and Joy” this holiday season.