The 2025 Shop with a Cop event brought dozens of local and area law enforcement officers, emergency personnel, and volunteers to the Vincennes Walmart on Friday for the 27th year of the holiday tradition.

Children were escorted with full lights and sirens from PACE Head Start to the Kimmel Road Shopping Plaza, where they paired with officers and volunteers to shop for toys, clothing, and shoes.

For some participants, the morning carried special meaning. It was the first year Correction Sergeant Leonard Shick of the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility volunteered, after his own children took part in last year’s event. Shick said giving back in the same way others supported his family felt important.

“I grew up with mom working more than extra to provide for us and just having the ability to give back to these kids—it’s what a parent like myself works for every day,” Shick said. “And to do it for somebody else’s kid is just as good.”

Donations from individuals and businesses make the event possible each year. Around $250 was spent per child in 2025, with contributions accepted throughout the season and year-round.