Weir: Santa Cops program delivers toys to children

Among the many duties of every police department is the establishment of a community relations division to help coordinate between the general public and the public servants in uniform. Positive interaction between police, and the communities they serve, act as a friendly reminder that our we all have a roll in the security of our neighborhoods. Whether it’s the cop on the beat, or the patrol car that passes by your street each day, you always feel safer when you know a well-equipped department of law-enforcement officers are nearby when needed.

In addition, those police units that reach out to residents of their assigned areas, with compassion and genuine concern, will generally receive the same sentiment from those in their patrol orbit. All good citizens want to protect themselves and their families from criminal activity. Therefore, it is those strong relationships of mutual trust between police agencies and the communities they serve that becomes a critical connection toward maintaining public safety and effective policing.

Another way for the police to reach out to the community is seasonal programs such as “Santa Cops.” Santa Cops Program | Flower Mound, TX – Official Website (flower-mound.com)

The Flower Mound Police Department and the Flower Mound Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni Association (FMCPAAA) administer the Santa Cops program each year. Since the inception of the program, 1000 families and 2700 children have benefited from the generosity of Flower Mound residents. Santa Cops is designed for those who want to make Christmas brighter for Flower Mound children, as well as provide an opportunity for positive interactions between the Flower Mound Police Department and those children who otherwise might go without. Programs such as these operate throughout the US fostering the idea that law enforcement serves as well as protects.

I invited Brian Smiley, President of FMCPAAA, John Kirby, past President and current Treasurer of the Santa Cops program, and Officer Jason Hobbs to explain the Santa Cops program and how residents can help them provide gifts for children.