The Shop With a Deputy Program gives Platte County under privileged children a positive image and contact with law enforcement officers. They eat breakfast together, shop together, and become friends.

The Platte County Deputies took 33 children shopping in December 2006 for clothing, toys, and a positive experience. The children are selected by the United Services of Platte County. This last year marked ten years for this program serving 343 children.

The deputies require that each child spend a certain percentage of the allotted money on clothing, underwear, jeans, socks, shoes, and coats. Some of these children have never had these items new, they have only had hand-me-downs. The remainder of the money is spent on toys or other items.

Each child is assigned a Deputy or Sheriff's Office employee. The Deputy then escorts the child to a table stocked with cookies, donuts, juice or milk which is provided by the Walmart Store. The parents are left at the employee's break room, they are not allowed to accompany their child. The child and the Deputy then shop the aisles of the Walmart. Approximately $180.00 is allotted to each child for this shopping spree.

Per coordinator Captain Mark Owen, "the Walmart store has been super good to us". Walmart employees volunteer their time to come in and staff the cash register positions, assist with the gathering of children, and wrap the children's presents.

This year, one of the Walmart associates commented that she had seen the program information on their employee bulletin board, and that she volunteered her day-off to come and wrap the gifts.

The Platte County Program was started in 1995 with a grant from the Missouri Deputy Sheriff's Association. Since then all of the money used has been raised by the deputies and from donations from generous citizens.

If you would like to help us with our efforts, send your donations to:

Platte County Sheriff's Office
Shop With a Deputy Program
C/O Captain Mark Owen
415 Third St., Suite 10
Platte City, MO 64079