ASU Police grant holiday wishes to kids in need

ASU police officer hugging a child
December 14, 2015

Arizona State University and Tempe police departments partnered with Greek Life and local businesses this month to host a holiday breakfast and shopping event for children and families in need this holiday season.

On Saturday, 30 children —15 from the ASU community and 15 from the Tempe community — were invited to have breakfast and then ride in police cars to go shopping for holiday presents with the officers. This is the first year that ASU Police hosted the “Kids + Cops Holiday Shop!” event.

  • group of people eating breakfast

    Tempe children enjoy breakfast at Special Moments Caterina early Saturday morning, Dec. 12.

    Deanna Dent/ASU Now

  • child signing up for shop with a cop event

    Erick Ramirez (in Santa hat) smiles as he signs up early Saturday morning for the "shop with a cop" event.

    Deanna Dent/ASU Now

  • kids peeking out of top of SWAT vehicle

    Yasmin Pooley (left) and Brooklyn Ware (center) smile as they stick their heads out of the top of a SWAT team during the shop with a cop event. “The cops are very nice and you get to see a different side of them … ” said Ware’s mom, Lauren Baker. “It's a great environment.”

    Deanna Dent/ASU Now

  • child talking to police officer

    Ana Alvarez greets ASU police officer Sean Johnson early Saturday morning during the holiday shopping event.

    Deanna Dent/ASU Now

  • child interacting with K-9

    Kelis Elder gets a kiss from the ASU Police Department’s K-9 Disney.

    Deanna Dent/ASU Now

  • child and police officer walking into store

    Erick Ramirez and his paired officer, Edgar Santana, dance into Walmart for holiday shopping early Saturday morning.

    Deanna Dent/ASU Now

  • officer pushing child in a shopping cart

    ASU Police Sergeant Kate Fuchtman pushes Nixon Danno as they shop for holiday gifts early Saturday morning. “Working at ASU and working with kids are near to my heart; I love it,” Fuchtman said.

    Deanna Dent/ASU Now

  • ASU police officer hugging a child

    ASU Police officer Becky Garcia gives Kelis Elder a big hug as they wait to check out at Walmart during the holiday shopping event. “I’m here to shop with Kelis and help her pick some stuff out. We have cops volunteer through ASU PD, and I jumped at it when I heard about the opportunity,” Garcia said.

    Deanna Dent/ASU Now

  • child sitting in front of police car

    Kelis Elder laughs as she tells people to freeze using the microphone in ASU Police Sergeant Kate Fuchtman's vehicle after the shopping event.

    Deanna Dent/ASU Now

  • officer and child carrying shopping bags

    Sgt. Pam Osborne helps Raya Parekh bring in her shopping bags to her mother.

    Deanna Dent/ASU Now