Police do good MINOT
By ANDREA JOHNSON
Staff Writer ajohnson@minotdailynews.com
F
or going on 19 years, needy kids throughout the Minot area have been able to enjoy shopping with a cop at Christmas. Minot Police Dept. Patrol Sgt. Paul Burns, who spearheads the event, said cops don’t care if the child spends $150 on bubble gum. Aside from a few sensible restrictions like no violent video games or other toys that advocate violence, that is their money to spend on what will bring them joy. Kids who might benefit the most from the program are previously identified and parents are asked to sign permission slips. Then, on the big day, they are paired with individual volunteer officers from the Minot Police Department, Ward County Sheriff’s Office, North Dakota Highway Patrol, U.S. Border Patrol, and Minot Air Force Base
Security Forces and get to go on a shopping spree at Walmart Helping out the kids also brings the cops a lot of joy. Burns and the other officers who are involved do all the fundraising and organizing on their days off. Burns said he approaches up to 95 businesses to ask for donations and approaches a few new businesses each year if a few previous donors have closed or dropped out. Businesses and individual donors also donate to other police organized fundraisers like the annual Stuff-a-Squad Toy Drive. Aside from being fun for all involved, the community outreach is a good way for police officers to build strong relationships with the people they serve, said Sgt. Cole Strandemo, who works in crime prevention and community outreach. Anytime people, especially children, can have a positive interaction with a police officer and see them as regular people, they might be more apt to
Andrea Johnson/w
Minot Police Department’s Cole Strandema.
call on them if they ever need help. Some of the kids have previously seen police under more traumatic circumstances. Patrol officers also enjoy handing out coupons for a free ice cream cone to a child they see wearing a bicycle helmet. This catches the kid staying safe.
City of Stanley 208 South Main Street
Stanley ND
City Auditor • Water & Maintenance Staff • Police Department
701-628-2225 Open M-F 8am-5pm • Closed 12-1 for lunch
REMARKABLE
flavor. R E M A R K A B LY I N C R E D I B LY
fresh. friendly.
3047_HometownAd_3_25x2_072021
30
101 1st SW, Stanley, ND (701) 628-2270
Financial Guidance From Someone Who Gets You Let’s connect to get you where you want to go. Kyle W Hanson FIC, CLTC® Financial Associate kyle.hanson@thrivent.com
HOMETOWN (2021) • www.MinotDailyNews.com
Rebecca Goettle Associate Representative rebecca.goettle@thrivent.com
109 Main St S PO Box 856 Stanley, ND 58784 701-628-2394 20328 R6-20
