Updated: Officers, children go ‘Code 3’ with sirens blaring to Shop with a Cop

Updated at 3 p.m.: A video with added interviews and footage was included in this report.

SOUTHERN UTAH — Hurricane City residents awakened early Saturday morning to the sound of sirens as law enforcement officers activated their lights and sirens to take local children to a breakfast before “Shop With a Cop” begins.

Just before 7 a.m., kids and cops convened at the Hurricane Community Center to travel together to the Washington County Legacy Park, or fairgrounds, where participants will enjoy an early breakfasts thanks to a group of officers who awoke early to cook.

It was an early morning for the kitchen crew, who arrived at approximately 5:30 a.m. to start cooking for more than 300 officers, children and administrative staff who arrived to help out.

After fueling up at breakfast, officers and their young recruits, riding shotgun, will go on a holiday shopping spree. More than 100 police vehicles leave the fairgrounds with a show that many will remember long after the holiday is over.

Riding ‘Code 3″ the entire way, children will make their way to one of three local Walmart stores with their assigned officers – an adventure made possible through donations from a giving community and the generosity of more than 100 officers, agents, rangers and troopers from eleven law enforcement agencies across Washington County.

Each child is allotted $150 to spend on whatever they choose, whether toys for themselves or presents for their families. The funds are put on a gift card to be used by their accompanying officer to purchase the items at Walmart registers operated by volunteers.

Many agencies were represented at Saturday’s event, including St. George Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, LaVerkin Police Department, Hurricane Police Department, Washington City Police Department, Utah Highway Patrol, Utah State Parks, the FBI, Washington County Commissioners, Springdale/Zion Canyon Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security.

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