Shop with a Cop benefits children
by ANDREA KIMBRIEL Reporter

Danielle Linder, Mark Kielbasa, and Captain Joel Budimirovich, with two-year-old Reannin Kielbasa and five-year-olds Paul and Dennis Linder, pose during their Shop with a Cop trip earlier this month.

Shop with a Cop provides the opportunity for police officers and area children to interact in a positive way during the holiday season, said Capt. Joel Budimirovich, president of the Police Captains and Lieutenants Association of Erie County.

"It helps them find out that police officers don't just give tickets and make arrests. It's to develop a good rapport with the child," he said.

Members of the Police Captains and Lieutenants Association can choose to participate in the program that benefits underprivileged children from the ages of five to 13. A police officer will escort a child or several siblings to Kmart or Wal-Mart where they can pick out $250 worth of items.

Parents are encouraged to attend as well because they know what their children need, he said.

They spend about an hour perusing the store and choosing what they would like to receive.

Police departments in Amherst, Depew, West Seneca, Lackawanna and the City of Tonawanda are participating with Shop with a Cop this year.

He said recipients are discovered through recommendations by members of the department or schools and social agencies.

Budimirovich, who is with the Lackawanna Police Department, brought three siblings - two boys and a girl from Lackawanna - to a store on Dec. 8.

"You could see by the smiles on their faces that you're making their Christmas," he said.

In addition to a number of toys, the children received boots and winter coats.

The association has participated with the national Shop with a Cop program for about four years. The Police Captains and Lieutenants Association of Erie County funds the gift purchases. At this point, they have not solicited donations from outside the organization, although that may be considered in the future, he said.

"We're a benevolent organization, so we try to help out where we can," he said.

Participation is voluntary for the departments, and Budimirovich is hoping involvement will expand in the future.

"I think it's a worthy cause," he said.