Cops Serve as Santas for Needy

Published December 7, 1998
© 1998 The Arizona Republic

By Lora Berry, The Arizona Republic

The eyes of more than 800 Wickenburg area kids lit up last Christmas when toys arrived at their homes. Others saw Santa at the local community center and found that he had toys for them, tagged with their names.

The gifts came from Santa's helpers, none other than Cops Who Care, a non-profit organization with members from the Wickenburg Police Department, Yavapai County Sheriff's Office, Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The organization started on Christmas Day 16 years ago when Wickenburg police officers heard about some children who wouldn't be getting toys for the holidays. The officers dug into their pockets and bought toys for that family.

That initial effort blossomed over the years. Cops Who Care serves Wickenburg, Wittmann, Morristown, Aguila, Congress and Yarnell. The group collects new and used toys and also raises money to purchase new toys.

On Saturday, Cops Who Care held a Santa-Fest for the whole community with candy and free Santa photos at the Wickenburg Town Hall, 155 N. Tegner St.

On Sunday, the Remember When Cruise Association's annual cruise to Wickenburg brought in toys they'd collected for the program.

Each year, members of Cops Who Care start collecting money after Thanksgiving, but they buy toys year-round. They have Easter egg hunts and Fourth of July parties in Wickenburg to raise money, said Sgt. Ruben Madrid, coordinator and treasurer of Cops Who Care. Madrid expects about 900 kids will receive gifts this year.

The officers find the needy families through the Maricopa County Community Action Project. Caseworker Pat Phelps at the CAP facility in Wickenburg said they sign up eligible families and then pass on the names, ages and addresses to the Wickenburg Police Department. The department sends the family a card telling them their child is eligible for the toys, and the families come to either the Wickenburg Community Center or the Wittmann Saguaro Jane's Center to pick up the toys that are already tagged with their child's name. In Yarnell and Congress, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office works with the schools and the CAP office to find needy families. The officers go from house to house to distribute the toys, said Richard Mayer, a deputy in the Yavapai

County Sheriff's Office. ''We go in uniform and a patrol car and try to give the gifts to the kids in person. It's very uplifting to see the kids' eyes light up,'' he said.

Sgt. Andy Bacon of the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office thinks it's great to play Santa. ''We want to give back to the community, and let the people know that we care,'' he said. Last year, the Yavapai officers delivered toys to a family whose house burned down right before Christmas. ''We cherish the opportunity to help,'' Bacon said.