Crime & Safety

Local Cops Deliver Holidays To Palm Desert Kids

For some families, the shopping trip to the Walmart in north Palm Desert means gifts for Christmas.

About 50 kids ran in and out of patrol cars outside the Walmart in north Palm Desert before heading in for a shopping spree Saturday morning, as part of the Riverside County Sheriff's "Shop with a Cop'' program.

The off-duty deputies spent up to $100 on each child at the store on Monterey Avenue.

For Austin King, 14, of Palm Desert, the shopping trip was a fun opportunity to "sit in the front seat of a police car."

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"I know I'm going to get Christmas presents now," he said, joking with his mom, Jeanine, who wore a long sleeved Sword of the Lord ministry T-shirt.

His brother, 7-year-old Christian, darted in and out of patrol cars.

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"He wants to sit in every car," Austin said, laughing.

The brothers are the children of John King, who was . The family attends the Sword of the Lord Church in Thousand Palms.

The boys were among 50 kids who received a goodie bag with a stuffed animal, an ID kit, a coloring book, ruler and stickers inside.

Jessica Jackson, who was holding her daughter Hayley, said her family was preselected for the event.

"I'm a single mom, so it helps," Jackson said.

All the families were carefully selected by the sheriff's department, which contracts with Palm Desert, Indian Wells and Rancho Mirage for policing services.

"Children participating in the event have been selected from families that could use the relief,'' said Cpl. William Pratt.


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