Citizens in the Red Bridge area of Locust likely believed a major emergency had occurred at the neighboring Walmart Supercenter around 8:45 a.m. last Saturday.
After all, what else would bring 16 police cars into its parking lot with blue lights flashing and sirens blaring?
Fortunately for all, it was neither a crime nor an accident that attracted the heavy police presence. Instead, law enforcement agencies in the West Stanly area were conducting their annual “Shop-with-a-Cop” program at the Locust Walmart, pairing 16 elementary school students from Locust, Stanfield and Oakboro with area police officers for a Christmas shopping trip.
“This is our tenth year doing the program,” said Locust Assistant Police Chief Kevin O’Connor, who, along with Detective Sgt. Brittany Tucker, has headed the program each year.
Locust PD, which coordinates the event, was one of five law enforcement agencies participating in this year’s event.
“In addition to LPD, we have officers from Stanfield PD, Stanly County and Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Offices, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD,” added O’Connor.

(Above) From left: Sgt. Brittany Tucker, K9 Officer Rico, and Cpl. Dwayne Dietz enjoy shopping at Walmart in Locust for local children. (Photos by TOBY THORPE)

Although participation in the program is voluntary, many of the same officers return and participate each year.
“Most of the officers here have done this several times, and they are off the clock, giving of their own time,” O’Connor noted. “And since they (officers) are familiar with what to do, once we get everyone paired up, the program basically runs itself.”
For O’Connor and Tucker, seeing the program in action was all that was needed to convince them to bring it to Locust.
“Back in 2014, we attended a ‘Shop-with-a-Cop’ program with the Badin Police Department,” O’Connor said. “We decided right then that we wanted to start that kind of program in Locust, and have been doing so ever since.”
All elementary school students at Locust, Oakboro and Stanfield schools are provided with an application for the program. Once applications are collected, the school resource officers from each school meet and review the applications, and select those students based on financial and social criteria, and deserving students are invited to take part.
“We met at (Locust) City Hall this morning, and paired participants with officers, then we brought them over in our squad cars with lights and sirens … that’s their favorite part,” said O’Connor.
In addition to the officers and departments who participate annually, O’Connor was quick to recognize Walmart of Locust for its ongoing participation, with the business providing personnel to assist with the program, a dedicated checkout and cashier on the day of event and financial support through a grant in past years.
“Walmart has been awesome,” he said. “They are a huge corporation, but the management and staff here make us feel like we are dealing with a personal, small-town business.”
As the program draws to its conclusion for 2024, O’Connor says his stress level will lessen as well … or at least until next year.
“Getting everything together for the event is chaotic,” he said, crediting Tucker with helping him get through it.
“Sgt. Tucker has to talk me off the ledge each year,” O’Connor recalled, “but everything always seems to work out fine.”

Toby Thorpe is a freelance writer for The Stanly News & Press.