By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News
A favorite tradition of law enforcement and children alike is the annual holiday Shop with a Cop extravaganza. In Emery County, this event takes place on Thursday, Dec. 11. Emery County Sheriff Tyson Huntington joined the KOAL newsroom to discuss the program and the excitement felt by all involved.
“It’s a super fun time for us,” said Huntington of the event, adding,” it helps us kind of step away from the law enforcement responsibilities, and we get a chance to work with the kids and to see them excited … It’s a touching time for us as law enforcement.”
Outside of ensuring every child receives something on Christmas morning, Shop with a Cop also serves to humanize officers in the community’s eyes. “My deputies are that way. They always look for opportunities to fight crime and do their jobs. But when they get the chance to do something else, but still work in law enforcement, like Shop with a Cop and those things, they take advantage of it.”
A favorite part of the event for the deputies is traveling across the county to deliver invitations to children selected for the program. “That’s been a fun part of it to be able to see the kids be in the schools, and they know why you’re there, and it’s pretty exciting. It’s good for our cops to get in there and have that chance to do it. And like we talked about, just do something different that’s heartwarming and fun,” expressed Huntington.
Added the Sheriff,” And you know that it’s going to make a difference with those kids.”
Moving along, Huntington previewed what the day would hold for participants,” So what we’ll do is we’ll meet with them at Walmart in the evening and get together. We’ll grab a couple of cops per kid. Usually, it’s a cop and their spouse. We’ll be able to go and spend time with them. The kids each get $200 to spend for whatever they want.”
He continued,” You get some of these kids out there, and they know exactly what they want, and they run right to the thing that they’re thinking about. They pick it up, and you’re done. And then you get some other kids that they buy something for everybody. You’re with them for 40 minutes, you know, picking out every little thing that they want to pick out and it’s super fun. Most of the time at the end of the shopping experience, they always throw like a candy bar in for the cop or something that they’re with and just super giving kids, you know, they’re happy to get something for themselves. Still, almost every time they’re worried about siblings or parents or somebody like that. So it’s just heartwarming to be there with them.”
With each kid receiving the budget they do, donors play a key role in the Shop with a Cop experience. Sheriff Huntington spoke on the giving spirit present in the Castle Country: “I am just crazy lucky to live where we live, and our citizens and business owners and even our city governments have stepped up and donated money. And we reach out to a couple of places for grant money through Walmart and through another organization. But most of our funds come from donations from our citizens and local businesses. And that’s great. You know, it’s money that they worked hard for, that they could spend on themselves, with their own loved ones, but instead they donate it to us to help out these kids.”
These donations included contributions from United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Local 6363, UMWA Local 1769, the Price Elks Lodge and A Wee Bit Wicked.
Huntington also spoke on the tragic passing of Green River Mayor Ren Hatt, who was killed in a car accident on Friday, Dec. 5. “I got to know Ren just through being the Sheriff and him the mayor and working out a few things. And he’s a great guy. I would consider him a good friend. We talk to each other pretty regularly, just about events or what’s going on, and give advice about things. And it’s a huge loss for our community, especially Green River and Green River High, where he worked and taught.”
Huntington added, “My heart breaks for the Hatt family and for Maria and his fiancee and just everything that happened there. Super untimely, super unexpected. And I know Ren was just a good guy, one of the best for Emery County. So I think in a tribute to him, I’m going to step up my game just to be a better person and a better local official and do what he did and always try to do the best for what he was in charge of.”
Closing our conversation, Huntington shared,” Just hopefully you can have a happy Christmas, a merry Christmas, happy holidays. Remember the reason for the season and why we’re here. Find opportunities to be kind and reach out to your neighbors and friends. And also be careful this time of year. It’s a time of year when the bad guys can keep an eye on us and try to get into our financial accounts or whatever the case may be. But do your due diligence. Keep an eye on your finances and be safe to cement in that good Christmas holiday and to have a good time and not have to deal with us and any other hard situations.”