Police officers in Northern Kentucky are working hard to bring holiday magic to more kids in the communities they serve this year.
Last year was the first time the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #75 held its Cops and Kids event. The event saw 15 local kids accompany police officers as the kids chose fully-paid-for Christmas gifts off store shelves for themselves and their families. Now, with the second annual event on the horizon, the FOP is looking to grow the number of kids in the program.
“Last year we were able to service 15 kids in the community with $300 each,” said Whitney Buerger, Independence police officer, FOP member and event organizer. “So, we’re hoping to at least be able to service that same number, if not more … Our goal is to reach more kids.”
Cops and Kids resembles programs like Shop With A Cop, which cities like Covington, Crescent Springs, Cincinnati and others participate in. The events began in the 1990s and early 2000s as a way of building bridges between police departments and the communities they patrol. FOP Lodge #75 is largely associated with Independence, but the Cops and Kids event itself involves the Independence Police Department, the Lakeside Park/Crestview Hills Police Department and the Kenton County Dispatch Center.
The 2025 event started after a local family donated $5,000 with a specific request it be used for a Shop With A Cop-style program. The donation occurred in the fall, and the family guaranteed it would be a recurring donation, even if admittedly it didn’t give the FOP much time to prepare.
“We made some quick phone calls to some local businesses and got the ball rolling pretty quickly with that,” Buerger said. “And it’s turned into a yearly partnership with the businesses now.”
The two main businesses who’ve contributed to the program are the Walmart in Fort Wright, where the event actually takes place, and One Holland, which owns restaurants around the region. One Holland donates food for breakfast and lunch.
FOP Secretary and Independence PD Sergeant Josh Salyers said the kids were often more concerned about providing necessities for their families than gratifying their own desires.
“What I realized last year was that kids didn’t necessarily want to be picking a lot of stuff for themselves,” said Salyers. “It’s a good thing that they understand that or don’t want a lot of stuff, (but) you kind of got to open them up to ‘hey, this is your stuff.'”
Buerger said that many of the kids in the program came from lower-income families, which might explain the phenomenon.
“It’s kids that we’re interacting with on calls, it’s families that we’re getting through our social worker or through the school resource officers at the local schools in the city,” Buerger said.
Officers pick up the kids at school, and Walmart provides a dedicated checkout lane for the shoppers the day of the event. The items are then taken back to the city building where volunteers wrap them up and give them to parents. The FOP provides the wrapping materials, and last year the police made ornaments with the kids while the gifts were being wrapped. Parents who don’t have reliable transportation to the city building are provided rides. It’s up to the families if they want to open the gifts right away or wait.
This year, the FOP will also be preparing hygiene kits for the families with basic necessities, like toiletries, tooth paste and body wash.
“When individuals get into law enforcement, they all have the same singular goal — to help people,” said Independence Police Chief Brian Ferayorni. “Programs like Cops and Kids allow us to reach our community’s youth in a positive way and help them see officers as people they can trust and rely on when needed. The joy that can be seen on the kids’ faces during this event is truly heartwarming and reminds us of why we got into this profession.”
The event will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 9 or Wednesday, Dec. 16 in the event of a snow closure.
Community members who wish to donate to the event can do so in one of the following ways:
- Visiting the Independence police clerk at 5409 Madison Pike in Independence, filling out a donation form and writing a check to Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #75. In the memo field of the check, write ‘Cops and Kids’ to ensure the donation is directed accordingly.
- Donating online here. Please also note that the donation is for Cops and Kids specifically.
- Donating the following goods to the event by visiting Police Social Worker Taylor Graham at the Independence City Building on the city side, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.:
- Hygiene items appropriate for elementary and middle school-aged kids
- Toothbrushes, toothpaste, hairbrushes, shampoo, soaps, deodorant and similar items
- Gift wrapping materials, including wrapping paper, gift boxes, tape, gift tags, giant Santa sacks, stockings and similar items
- Holiday craft supplies, such as craft sets, blank stockings, markers, glitter glues, stickers and similar items
- Hygiene items appropriate for elementary and middle school-aged kids
Questions about the event can be directed to Whitney Buerger by emailing wbuerger@cityofindependence.org.
