Captain John Wyatt, Chris and Wayne Cotton and Walmart Manager Mike Snell gather at Walmart for the exchange of the first in-person donation to this year's Shop with a Cop program.

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Durant’s Shop with a Cop program received this year’s first in-person donation Thursday October 25.

Captain John Wyatt was at Walmart Thursday evening to receive the $50 donation made by Wayne and Chris Cotton.

The Shop with a Cop program has been in Durant for four years. “It is a good opportunity for the children of our community to have a positive interaction with police,” said Mrs. Cotton.

She said that both her and her husband have a soft spot for police because their son is a police officer and they also feel that Shop with a Cop is a good program to give to.

Every year families who are referred to the Police Department shop with cops and volunteers at Durant Walmart to give each other gifts.

“We try to make it so it’s really doing some good,” said Wyatt.

Wyatt said that they try to split the children from the parents so that the parents can buy gifts without the children seeing and vice versa.

Children from the local youth shelter are also invited to recieve gifts during the program. Last year, five children from the youth shelter that got to participate.

The program is looking for referrals, volunteers and donation for the program this year. Last year the program received 25 to 30 donations totaling a little over $10,000 for local families.

To donate send money to the Durant Police Department care of Shop with a Cop, Captain John Wyatt or to Shamrock Bank attention Mark Web.

To volunteer or make a referral contact the Durant Police Department. You can contact the Durant Police department by phone at (580) 924-3737 or by mail at 3104 Carl Albert Drive, Durant, OK.