Milan Police Dept. helps kids have a Merry Christmas with ‘Shop With a Cop’

MILAN, Tenn. — Dozens of police officers swarmed the Wal-Mart in Milan, going above the call of duty to not only protect but to serve.

The Milan Police Department hosted its Annual “Shop With a Cop,” event on Thursday, a tradition many look forward to each year.

“This is our 11th year, and it’s grown every year by leaps and bounds,” Milan Police Chief Bobby Sellers said. “Last year, we decided that with the number of kids and the limited staff we have that we needed to break it down to two nights.”

Milan Mayor B.W. Beasley said each year it warms his heart.

“A lot of the police and deputies and highway patrolmen are here on their own time to do this for these kids, and it’s really something special at this time of year,” Mayor Beasley said.

“They capture bad people that don’t do good in life,” said 9-year-old Peyton Beckett who could not wait to meet his police officer.

“All the police officers that’s doing good in here right now, it makes me really happy,” Beckett said.

He also said it inspired him to want to join the force.

“I want to capture bad people that are not doing good and trying to hurt people,” Beckett said.

“It allowed me to give him some guidance, to tell him to stay out of trouble, stay in school, get his college degree, and when he did all of that to come back and see me and we will give him a job at the Milan Police Department,” Chief Sellers said.

The kids also had money to spend.

“They have $215 to spend,” Sellers said. “We try to get them to spend some of it on school supplies or clothes, but other than that they get to spend it on whatever is age appropriate.”

After dinner, each child climbed into a patrol car with their officers, and in a sea of blue they proceeded to the Wal-Mart in downtown Milan.

The Milan Police Department had help from several other law enforcement agencies across West Tennessee.