December 13, 2023
The Johnson City Police Department is excited to announce the 9th Annual Shop With a Cop program will be held on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. A partnership between JCPD and Johnson City Schools, Shop With a Cop pairs law enforcement officers from across the region with elementary school children in need. In 2022, the program provided warm clothing and gifts to more than 160 children and more than boxes of food.
Applications for this year’s program will be accepted from October 9th – November 17th. The Police Department’s website has links to download an application, and hard copies will be available for pick-up at the Records Office. Completed applications will be accepted by mail, email, fax, or hand-delivered to the Department. Shop With a Cop program selects elementary-aged children to participate but serves the child’s entire family. All children in the home receive winter clothing along with Christmas morning gifts and a food box.
The success of past Shop With a Cop programs has been a direct result of the generosity of our donors and volunteers. If you would like to become a donor, financial donations are tax deductible and accepted in the form of checks made out to City of Johnson City with ‘Shop With a Cop’ in the memo line. Donations can be mailed or hand-delivered to the Police Department: 601 E. Main St, Johnson City, TN 37601. Alternatively, those wishing to purchase specific items for our participants are encouraged to use our Walmart, Target, or Amazon gift registries.Walmart - https://rb.gy/4fonz
Target - https://rb.gy/k9id8
Amazon - https://rb.gy/tg6wd
JCPD is excited to announce a brand new way to contribute at no cost to you! In partnership with Kroger Community Rewards, a portion of all grocery sales made with a linked Kroger Savings Card is donated to our program. How can you help? Follow these simple steps!
- Sign into your Kroger account
- Under account settings, select ‘Community Rewards’
- Select our program by name or number, and click save!
*Organization Number: PH158
2023 Shop With a Cop Participant Application - English
2023 Shop With a Cop Participant Application - Español
jUNIOR POLICE ACADEMY
Dates - TBD
The Junior Police Academy is geared toward area youth between the ages of 14 and 18. The program focuses on youth and young adults who have an interest in the law enforcement profession. It is designed to take the mystery out of police procedures and policies while informing and educating participants - or, cadets - about police officers and their role in society. Cadets will experience what it is like to go through the police academy and, although not as comprehensive or demanding, learn the same skills. The 40-hour course will culminate with a team-oriented competition that involves the skills, knowledge, and abilities they have learned throughout the program. The Junior Police Academy serves as an introduction to the Police Explorers program.
Anyone interested in participating in the academy should contact Officer Erik Hilton by calling 423-930-4169 or emailing mailto:ehilton@johnsoncitytn.org.
Police Explorers
The Police Explorer program is designed for teens and young adults between the ages of 14 and 20 interested in law enforcement and professions in criminal justice. The program meets twice a month on Tuesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Municipal and Safety Building, 601 E. Main St., or at the Rick Collins Police Training Complex on Bull Rowland Boulevard.
Explorers learn procedural skills that cover traffic stops, crisis negotiation, domestic disturbances and laws associated with executing warrants. Skills gained in the program can then be applied during Winterfest, an annual competition held in Gatlinburg, Tenn., for Police Explorers to test their knowledge and abilities.
Participants must be in good standing with their school and have no prior criminal convictions.
Anyone interested in participating in the Police Explorers program should contact Officer Erik Hilton by calling 423-930-4169 or emailing ehilton@johnsoncitytn.org
School Resource Officer program
The School Resource Officer (SRO) program began during the 1997-1998 school year through a cooperative effort between the Johnson City Police and the Johnson City School System.
The SRO program is based on the philosophy that the School Resource Officer is an educator in safety and law-related issues, a law-related counselor, and of course, a law enforcement officer. The officer, while in school, becomes involved in a variety of functions aimed at prevention of violence and crime.