ROCKINGHAM — Seven-year-old Heaven Wall, of Hamlet, went Christmas shopping at Walmart Saturday with Sheriff James Clemmons.
Wall and her two sisters were among the roughly four dozen children who participated in the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office’s “Shop with a Deputy” program.
To make things more manageable, the kids were split into two groups for shopping, with the first round at 9 a.m. and the second at 1 p.m.
Each child was paired up with a deputy and had $300 dollars to spend. Several Walmart associates helped out by keeping track of how much the bill was adding up to be.
“It’s just a great opportunity to come out and spend some time with the kids and give them an opportunity to do some shopping,” Clemmons said. “We give them carte blanche to do what they want to do and they’re just having a good time.”
Deputies said most of the teens hit big-ticket items in electronics, while the younger kids headed for the toys section.
Clemmons said he wasn’t used to shopping for little girls as he and Heaven walked up and down the aisles looking at a variety of dolls.
Most of the boys opted for action figures and sporting equipment. One even picked out a bicycle and a fishing rod.
Anything left over was given to the children to share with their families.
While the Rockingham Police Department has had its “Shop with a Cop” program for several years, this was the first time for the sheriff’s office.
Clemmons said in the past, his deputies have individually supported families in the community by sponsoring them for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
But this year, the agency decided to participate in the “Shop with a Deputy” program — spearheaded by Sgt. Mike Childers, who handles community relations — and the BackPack Pals program as a group.
Clemmons said the program was financed by the deputies, as well as local churches and businesses.
“The business community has really supported us well,” Clemmons said, adding that his office raised around $7,000 for the shopping spree.
Deputies raised funds through the office’s no-shave program, which allows them to wear a “neat beard” in uniform and they contribute money for a community program each month.
“That’s our way of collecting money and giving back, as deputies, to our community,” Clemmons said.
Around 20 deputies were involved between helping both groups, he added.
“What we’re trying to do is show folks that we’re not only members of our community, but there’s more to us than just making arrests,” Clemmons said. “We want to foster those relationships with the families, with the kids, to let them know we’re not the bad guys, we’re the good guys.
“We want to make sure they understand that, but we also want to educate them and let them know ‘Don’t break the law.’”
While shopping, Clemmons joked with the boy who chose the bike about not getting a speeding ticket.
The department even randomly assisted a family Saturday afternoon.
Dequan Wilson said he and his family — minus two children who were staying with their grandmother — had gone to Walmart to return something “and they helped us.”
“It was fantastic … God is good,” Wilson said.
The sheriff’s office is also participating in Toys for Tots.
“So those in the community who wish to donate, they can come by and drop their toys off … and we’ll make sure they get where they need to be,” Clemmons said.
