Decatur Police work as Santa's helpers

Department provides gifts to children in need

— Santa has some helpers at the Decatur Police Department this Christmas.

Police officers are helping the jolly old elf make sure all his packages get where they are going, especially to the homes of Decatur children who have been victims of crime or are in need this year.

Officer Jeannie Harper, who started the program and organizes the fundraising and gift giving, has chosen four children from two different families that are in need of some help. So far, the department has raised enough money through the donations of officers, city employees, community members and the Decatur General Store to buy gift cards and supplies such as diapers and baby food for the children.

The department has provided Christmas presents for Decatur children off and on - as they have seen a need - for a number of years, according to police chief Terry Luker.

The tradition of buying toys for children in need started when Harper was patrolling the town on Christmas Day, she said. As Harper was circling the Grant Street Apartments, she saw the neighborhood children outside playing with their new Christmas presents. She noticed that one little boy was all alone without any toys.

Harper stopped to visit with the children and they all ran up to her car to show her what they got for Christmas, but the 6-yearold boy hung back.

“I asked him ‘What did you get for Christmas?’” she said, “and he said ‘Nothing,’ so I asked him ‘Well, what happened?’”

“He told me ‘I don’t know. I think Santa forgot where I live,’” Harper said, “So I asked him what he wanted, and as he was telling me I was making a note of it in my head.”

After talking to the little boy who had been let down by Santa Claus, Harper was devastated. Although she couldn’t leave her post, Harper called her mother and asked her to find a way to purchase the items onthe little boy’s wish list. Her mother ran to the Walmart in Bentonville and brought the items back to the police station where the two women wrapped them and put them in a big trash bag.

Harper took the bag of presents back to the little boy’s home and told him that his packages had accidentally fallen off Santa’s sleigh. Harper told the child that she had found the bag beside the road where Santa had lost it and was returning it to him.

It wasn’t long before Harper received a letter from the boy that said, “Thank you officer Jeannie for finding my presents.” She continued to buy presents for him over the years and expanded her efforts to include other children.

Harper said she is very thankful for the support and donations she has received this year, but said she still needs help to provide gifts and hopefully a Christmas dinner for the two families.

For more information or to make a contribution, contact the Decatur Police Department at 752-3912.

News, Pages 16 on 12/21/2011