CHILDREN LINE UP TO SHOP WITH A COP

Five-year-old Michelle Rice sat on the lap of Cape Girardeau reserve police officer Dan Niswonger as the two went shopping for some toys for Michelle. Very quickly, she had a New Born Cry Baby and a Tickle Me Elmo in her arms.

Michelle Rice was one of over 200 children from throughout the area who began lining up at 6:30 Thursday morning for a chance to spend a little money and a little time with a police officer in the sixth annual "Shop with a Cop" program at the Wal-Mart Super Center in Cape Girardeau.

By 7 a.m. the line stretched from the produce section of the store all the way to front door as children, ages 12 and under, waited for their turn to spend $35 to make their Christmas a little brighter.

Cape Girardeau police corporal Barry Hovis, president of the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, worked with members of the Missouri Division of Family Services and Wal-Mart sales associate Diana Wunderlich to coordinate the "Shop with a Cop" event.

"It's gives law enforcement and kids a chance to get together, and gives kids a positive experience with law enforcement," Hovis said.

Police officers from Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Advance and Perryville were in attendance, as were deputies from the Cape Girardeau and Bollinger County Sheriff's Departments, patrolmen from the Highway Patrol, officers from the Cape Girardeau Juvenile Office and West Park Mall Security.

In addition to donating their time, the police also donated money toward the project, contributing $1,000 toward the nearly $8,000 total used in the program.

The children who participate in the program were selected on the basis of need by Family Services.

"We try to compliment what Toybox does and cover as many people as possible," said Captain Steve Strong of the Cape Girardeau police.

Actually shopping began at 7 a.m. with police officers going through the store with one or two children at a time, helping them pick out something special and then going through the check-out line with them. The 7 a.m. starting time is so the children can get to school as quickly as possible.

This year, 226 children will participate in the event, as compared to the 172 who participated last year.

"This is a great opportunity for local business and law enforcement to partner up and do something for the children," said Cape Girardeau Police Chief Richard Hetzel, who was on hand to shop with some of the children. He even took time to perform a few magic tricks for the kids who had arrived early.

"Children are very special to me," Hetzel said.