On and off over the last 20 years or so, the Forest Park Police Department has participated in a holiday event where police officers are paired with a local child and, for a morning, are their shopping companion, helping them buy gifts for their families and themselves.
The Shop with a Cop event aims to bring the community together and inspire joy in children. On Dec. 7, eight kids and eight cops from Forest Park met at the Forest Park Police Department — along with students and police officers from River Forest, Riverside and North Riverside. Together, they all journeyed to the Walmart on Roosevelt and Des Plaines for a shopping spree.
Forest Park Police Chief Ken Gross assigns officers to shop with children | Todd Bannor 
River Forest Officers Drake and Barcenas speak with children at the start of the Shop With a Cop event at the lower level of Forest Park Village Hall on Dec. 7, 2025 | Todd Bannor 
Forest Park Officer Wade speaks with a child at the Forest Park Municipal Building Dec. 7, 2025 | Todd Bannor
Pairs of students and officers were given a dollar amount for the child’s gifts, which are funded by Walmart and each municipality’s Fraternal Order of Police. After shopping, participants were treated to a donated lunch from Portillo’s.
Forest Park, River Forest, Riverside and North Riverside police departments work with their school districts and administrators, who identify students who would benefit from Shop with a Cop.
Forest Park Police Chief Ken Gross said, in past years, the FOP has spearheaded Shop with a Cop, and Forest Park has participated with various surrounding municipalities. This year, someone from the Maywood Police Department asked Gross if Forest Park police wanted to participate in the Shop with a Cop event at the Walmart in Northlake.
“I was talking to a few officers here and said, ‘You know what, I’d like to do it in Forest Park since we have a Walmart,’” Gross said. He then asked the other police departments if they wanted to join.
Riverside Officer Johnson and North Riverside Police Chief Christian Ehrenberg help a child purchase a bicycle at Shop With a Cop event at Walmart on Dec. 7, 2025 | Todd Bannor 
Riverside Officer Johnson helps a child pick out a toy at Shop With a Cop at Walmart | Todd Bannor 
North Riverside Deputy Police Chief Christopher Boenzi helps a child check out at at Shop With a Cop | Todd Bannor
Shop with a Cop launched to foster positive relationships between local young people and law enforcement, while improving a child’s holiday season.
In the years that the Forest Park Police Department has done Shop with a Cop, Gross said participating children seem to enjoy the event, along with their parents. He added that it’s also a heartwarming day for his officers.
“It’s just a feel-good time because you’re doing something nice for the kids in the community,” Gross said.
Gross’ personal biggest takeaway from Shop with a Cop happened a few years ago, when he and his wife were paired with a young man from Forest Park.
“A lot of times, it’s been my experience that the kids get stuff for themselves. And this little guy was like, ‘I want to get something for my mom, I want to get something for my sister, I want to get something for my grandma.’” Gross said.
When the Grosses encouraged the child to pick out a toy for himself, he wanted a wrestling ring and figures that were sold out. So a few days later, the Grosses bought the toy from a different place and gave it to his mom, adding that she could tell the boy it was from herself or Santa. But the mom told her son the wrestling toy was from Gross. A couple days later, the child sent Gross a gift in return.
“Events like Shop with a Cop are about more than just buying presents; they are about building trust and showing our young residents that we are here to help and support them,” Gross said in a statement. “Collaborating with our neighboring departments in North Riverside, River Forest and Riverside allows us to pool our resources and make a greater impact on the wider community.”
