OTHELLO — Othello Police Officer Omar Ledesma and his shopping buddy were looking everywhere, but there was no slime to be found. 

Not in aisle G, or E or F. Evelyn, Ledesma’s shopping buddy for the OPD Shop With a Cop, needed slime for a present.

“Let’s see ... slime, slime,” Ledesma said as he searched the aisles of the Othello Walmart. 

But there was no slime. Finally, Ledesma pulled out his phone to do a search of Walmart’s website. 

“S-l-i-m-e,” Evelyn said, just in case he needed help.

Assistant Chief Aaron Garza said the OPD, Adams County Sheriff’s deputies and Washington State Patrol troopers took 10 children shopping Saturday afternoon, after a pizza lunch and before volunteers helped the children wrap presents for family and friends.

The children arrived in style, rolling into the parking lot in a caravan of police vehicles with lights flashing and sirens wailing. Each child had a shopping buddy — sometimes more than one — and a budget. Each child took a picture with Santa and their shopping buddy, then they fanned out through the store, looking for just the right present.

“Each kid receives a gift card. The officer is there to shop with them,” Garza said. 

Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner and his shopping buddy Tereza had a list.

“Okay, little brother is done, and Dad is done,” Wagner said as Tereza checked her list. She still had Mom and other family members to go. 

I'm having a blast,” Wagner said as he pushed the shopping cart. “She’s been awesome.”

Garza said the OPD has been hosting Shop With a Cop for — well, for a while now.

“A very long time. It’s something we enjoy doing,” he said.

“Okay, start shopping,” he said as he handed the gift card to one of the officers. “Have fun.”

The adults have fun too, he said. 

“The funnest part about this for me is watching the smiles on the kids’ faces,” Garza said. 

The children and officers had lunch at Time Out Pizza, went shopping, then headed back to the OPD where volunteers from the Othello High School drill team helped them wrap those presents.

An OPD officer and his shopping buddy decided to check to see if the little friction-powered toy cars actually worked as advertised. They did. The two went running down the aisle to catch it.

It was the first Shop With a Cop for Othello Officer Denny Brock, helping his shopping buddy Christopher. 

“I love it,” he said. 

Othello Officer Fernando Lopez and his shopping buddy Yomara got some help from Rosa Sandoval of the OPD Explorers unit. Yomara and Sandoval carefully evaluated the options in the toy aisle while Lopez pushed the cart.

Yomara was a decisive shopper. Lopez pointed out an option, and Yomara shook her head.

“No,” she said. 

“The kids really enjoy it,” Sandoval said. “They get really excited.”

Tyson Cox was working, so he didn’t have a shopping buddy, but he tagged along for a while. Cox is a veteran of Shop With a Cop, and he said it’s always a fun day.

“One hundred percent it is,” he said.

It’s always enjoyable to see the children having a good time — and taking their shopping duties seriously, making sure they have the right gift for their families. 

“You have to make sure they get something for themselves,” Cox said.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].

    Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner, left, and his shopping buddy Tereza cross names off the shopping list and consider the next step.
 Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald   

    Rosa Sandoval, part of the Explorer program for the Othello Police Department, checks the budget while her shopping buddy Yomara thinks about a potential present.
 Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald   

    Othello Police Officer Denny Brock, right, and his shopping buddy Christopher try to decide among the options.
 Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald