Bridgeville police Chief Chad King filled a shopping cart full of plastic cups and Brillo pads with the help of his new friend, Brady.

The two talked about their shared love of World War II history and Bethel Bakery as they made their way through the Scott Township Walmart on Dec. 13, buying items for the Chartiers Valley School District Life Skills program.

“It’s really fun,” said Brady, 17, a senior at Chartiers Valley.

A few aisles away, senior Matthew, 18, filled a cart full of cake mix and cereal, alongside Collier police Officer Brian Halbleib.

“Do you want to drive or should I?” Halbleib asked, as he took the wheel of the shopping cart.

“You can drive. I’m in charge of the list. I’ve got the important job,” Matthew said with a smile.

The “Shop with a Cop” program, now in its sixth year, brings together officers from the Collier, Bridgeville and Scott police departments and Life Skills students at Chartiers Valley to buy classroom supplies — such as paper towels, hand wipes and toys — that will last the entire year.

The Life Skills students get to practice shopping while hanging out with a police officer.

The event is funded by the Collier and Scott Township police associations through money raised from their annual sporting clay shoot fundraiser.

This year, the two police associations spent about $1,400 at Walmart on supplies for the school. Each student in attendance also got to take home a gift. The day, in total, likely will cost about $2,000.

“It’s bonding with the kids,” said Collier police Chief Craig Campbell. “It gives us a chance to interact with them on a level outside of our regular law enforcement duties. It’s important to bond with these kids, especially when they’re this young, so when we deal with them later in life, they’ve had positive influences with the police instead of having a negative one at some point.”

The “Shop with a Cop” program is organized by Collier police Officer Bill Oslick, who serves as a school resource officer at Chartiers Valley middle and high schools.

The students in the district’s Life Skills program are always smiling and brighten his day.

“I have a special place in my heart for these kids,” said Oslick, who is known to do special handshakes with the students and who shared many laughs during the shopping event. “No matter how bad of a day you’re having, when you run across their smiling faces, it doesn’t matter what happened prior, they just make it a better day.”

Jonathan, 11, hung out with Oslick throughout the morning. He planned to get a frozen treat with the officer and shop for supplies for the school, “because I think they might be running low,” he said.

The sixth-grader enjoyed spending time with the officer.

“He’s actually a pretty good officer, not going to lie,” Jonathan said.

Fourth-grader Chloe, 10, enjoyed spending time with Collier police Officer Brian Blum.

“Do you like Starbucks? Do you like Chick-fil-A?” she asked as they roamed the store.

“He’s awesome. … He’s funny,” she said, telling her teachers as she entered the store that this is the “best day ever.”

“I love it. If I could do this every week, I would. It’s fun,” Blum said. “She’s teaching me some new things. I’m learning what they do in school and what they need. I’m glad we can provide that for them.”

The students and officers enjoyed tossing snowballs at each other and shared many laughs.

“It’s about giving these kids a sense of community,” said Buffie Faes, middle and high school Life Skills teacher. “The cops are so incredibly generous to do this for them. … Not only is it awesome what they do for our kids and our classroom, but it shows the kids that they can trust the cops. Out in the community, if they have an issue ever, they know that they can approach an officer.”

This year, the students plan to use some of the supplies purchased to bake thank-you treats for the officers.

After leaving Walmart, the students caught a ride on Port Authority’s “Holiday Bus” to the Collier Township Community Center.

There, they got to hang out with Santa, Mrs. Claus and Buddy the Elf.

This year, there was a special treat waiting for them: live reindeer and a Santa sleigh.

“I wanted to put it all together for the kids,” Oslick said. “So we have Santa, the sleigh and the reindeer. Maybe next year we will have to have snow.”

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