ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica— For the second consecutive year the St Elizabeth police, led by Superintendent Coleridge Minto staged its ‘Shop with a cop’ initiative for Christmas benefiting over 60 children.

“We are here today in the Santa Cruz area, members of the management team, the community safety and security arm of the division and other police personnel. We are in our second staging of our shop with a cop initiative,” Minto told Observer Online on Tuesday.

READ: WATCH: Cops bring cheer to 20 children in St Elizabeth through Christmas initiative

The Christmas Eve shopping spree saw children being feted to both gifts and food.

DSP David Blake presenting a gift to two-year-old Jasmine Hamilton on her birthday. Looking on is the child’s sister Jamelia Hamilton. (Photo: Kasey Williams)

“We now have over 60 students, well over 100 per cent increase from last year. A number of our students, their parents are supporting this initiative,” Minto said, while also expressing thanks to sponsors of the initiative.

The students are from 11 policing areas across St Elizabeth.

Minto explained that the beneficiaries hail from areas where the police have interacted widely with citizens.

“The police officers across our 11 stations who contributed to this initiative in making the lives of almost 60 children a little better than it would be,” he said.

He credited the former commander of St Catherine South now head of Area Five ACP Christopher Phillips for leading the way.

“This is our second staging. I want to again give credit to acting Assistant Commissioner Christopher Phillips who is the brainchild for this initiative,” he said.

Head of the St Elizabeth police Coleridge Minto helps in distributing patties to children as part of a treat by the police. (Photo: Kasey Williams)

“We intend to continue to use initiatives as these to reach our children, particularly those we have in our schools. We are reaching them through our police youth clubs… to ensure that we can provide some form of mentorship and moral compass as we help in guiding them through the stages of life,” added Minto.

Among the recipients of the police’s Christmas cheer is Black River High student Naomi Anderson who expressed thanks to Superintendent Minto and his team.

“I feel really good, because I got to buy my mother a birthday gift which I couldn’t afford, but thanks to officer Minto and the other police who were there I appreciate it,” she said.

Minto said the police will continue to do community outreach in building the partnership with citizens and reach children.

All smiles among the St Elizabeth police leadership and children during the Shop with a cop initiative

“They are for the first time getting close to a police officer and to express how appreciative they are in being so close to the police. We intend to use this moment to bridge that gap between the citizens and the police and to ensure that going forward we build the relations even stronger,” he said.

— Kasey Williams