With the holidays rapidly approaching, charities provided by the Phoenix Police Department prepare for the annual “Shop With a Cop” on Dec. 9.
Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, a nonprofit, created PLEA Charities to support fellow police officers, assist local organizations, and provide help to community members in need.
“We just try to promote the positive image of officers and we try to establish relationships with city, county, federal entities that we can work together with to make the whole job of being a police officer better and easier,” PLEA trustee Tim Mazich said.
According to the PLEA Charities website, the organization “disbursed approximately $2.5 million to various recipients.” In 2019, PLEA claimed $529,231 in grants and contributions, almost a $263,000 difference from the previous year.
Grants provided for “Shop With a Cop” helps give kids throughout the valley their own Christmas miracle, according to the group. Children chosen to participate in the program are assigned to an officer and receive one-on-one time with their local law enforcement, an event that Mazich deemed a tremendous success.
“It’s an opportunity to take a child who is going to have no Christmas or a very different Christmas and to pick them up at their home and you get to drive them in a police car to a store and give them a shopping spree basically,” Mazich said.
Mazich explained kids typically shop for themselves and their families, each showcasing different needs. “Some kids are interested in tires and towels where some are interested in toys,” Mazich said.
PLEA created a goal to serve 150 kids within the valley, a job left for community and school resource officers to seek out kids fit for the program.
Along with a fun-filled Christmas shopping spree, kids are provided breakfast, a photo with Santa who is delivered via helicopter, a chance to wrap gifts for their family, and a showcase of cars.
“It’s a whole big process and it’s just something that we try to make very big and exciting and memorable for them,” Mazich said.
Mazich worked as an officer for Phoenix PD for 20 years and volunteered his time with PLEA. Mazich focused on PLEA to become more involved in charities and to help fellow police officers. During his time, ‘Shop With a Cop’ impacted his life in a way that made him more humble with the life is able to live.
“It humbles you and makes you realize that your little bubble isn’t the only thing that’s going on,” Mazich said.“There’s so many different people at so many different points in their lives, whether you came from that or you could be heading to there or what, it reminds you everybody is different and comes from a different place and circumstances.”
Along with giving back to the community, PLEA provided additional support and resources to other organizations within the community, including the Phoenix Police Museum.
Bob Demlong, curator at the Phoenix Police Museum, said PLEA has made a huge impact on the facility. The charity sponsored the memorial room for 41 officers killed in the line of duty. $10,000 in funding provided photos, engraved plaques, new cases and more, which the museum staff says honors them in the way deserve.
Besides donations and sponsors contributed by PLEA, Demlong expressed how grateful he was for the charity’s assistance and support for the community as well as the museum itself.
“PLEA helps get people in the museum to learn more about police work and what it’s really like as opposed to what they see in movies, TV and media,” Demlong said. “It lets them come in and form their own opinion.”
With a goal focused on positivity towards law enforcement, PLEA continues to serve the local police officer and the community.
Contact the reporter at araraiza@asu.edu.
