Nine local students spent the morning of Dec. 11 on a holiday shopping spree at Target in Redwood City to pick out gifts for a family member or a friend, a toy for themselves, and a necessity like a scarf or socks, thanks to the Atherton Police Department and its nonprofit supporting groups.

It was the department's second annual "Shop With a Cop" holiday event, intended to provide local students with a positive mentoring experience with police.

The students live in Menlo Park, East Palo Alto and Redwood City, but attend school in Atherton. Teachers at Las Lomitas, Encinal and Laurel elementary schools each picked three students to participate based on need as well as on good academic performance and attendance, according to police.

A police officer helped each student pick out $150 worth of gifts before wrapping them. Students nabbed Hot Wheels toy trucks and "Spiderman"-themed toys, while one girl even picked out a gift for her cat. The Police Activities League and the Atherton Police Officers Association provided the funding for the outing.

To kick off the event, police officers handed out beanies and light-up ornament necklaces to the children, along with Starbucks hot chocolate, which Target provided.

Eight students participated in the department's inaugural "Shop With a Cop" event last year. Police expect they will be able to offer the shopping spree to 12 kids next year, said Atherton Police Chief Steve McCulley.

"There's always more need than we can provide," he said.

Atherton police also host a holiday toy drive every year for Adelante Selby Lane Spanish Immersion School in Atherton. Officers will deliver toys to those students on Monday, Dec. 16, according to police.

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