So I walked into my local Target store and the place was full of cops. [View all]

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My first thought was that this was the aftermath of a big incident, like a shooting, and I almost turned around and walked out. But everyone seemed very calm and happy - so I asked one of the officers what was going on.

Turns out there is a county program called "Shop With a Cop":

Shop With A Cop - Dane County, Inc. strives to create a positive interaction between law enforcement and the community by helping economically disadvantaged children shop for gifts for their families during the holiday season. Shop With A Cop - Dane County, Inc, is a 501(c)(3), non-profit agency. http://www.shopwithacopdanecounty.org/

So there were children paired up with police officers to shop for $150 worth of Christmas presents for their families. As I did my shopping I saw the pairs all over the store - picking out gifts, talking, having fun. They got their pictures taken together.

I don't know who thought of this, but what an awesome idea for building trust with the police. Apparently its happening around the country.