Shoppers walking into the Target on Kingery Highway in Willowbrook on Dec. 13 may have wondered why the store was filled with police officers and children, or why someone kept shouting “6-7” during group photos.
For the kids, it was hilarious. For most of the adults, it made no sense at all. For Community Service Officer Silvia Rupcich, who has organized the event for three years, it was exactly why the program exists.
“It’s that hug,” Rupcich said, reflecting on the day and a moment she shared with 8-year-old Enes Kdheimati. “These kids are innocent and they’re so kind. If just for a moment they can be happy and be a kid, that’s everything.”
Officers from several law enforcement agencies were taking part in the Willowbrook Police Department’s annual Shop with a Cop event, pairing up with local families for a morning of holiday shopping. But as Rupcich explained, the program is about more than gifts.
“The point of the program is for us to connect with our youth and for our children to build that trust in us,” she said. Rupcich works with school social workers to identify participants. “It’s for a child that’s dealing with a situation a child should not be dealing with.”
The criteria extends beyond financial need to include children dealing with loss, family crisis or trauma.
“We want them to see us as someone safe,” she said.
Among the children were brothers Enes and Abdulaziz Kdheimati.
Enes was quick to let adults know when they got things wrong. Every time a video game was misnamed, he corrected it, smiling the whole time. His brother stayed close as they worked their way through Minecraft sets and anime figures.
The boys were shopping with their mother, Alaa Kdheimati. The family is originally from Syria and has lived in the United States for about two years. They now live in Westmont with their father, Housam, and their five children: Nourhan, Necks, Yusuf, Abdulaziz and Enes.
Speaking in Arabic, Alaa said the transition has not always been easy, but she described the Westmont community as kind and supportive as her family continues to settle and build a new life.
Before toys came essentials. Winter coats were checked off. Boots were sized carefully. Only after that did the boys return to the toy aisles, where the mood shifted immediately.
Officer Ahmad Sows of the Palos Hills Police Department was paired with the Kdheimati family, helping translate in Arabic and staying with them throughout the shopping.
“This was a refreshing break away from the office,” Sows said. “This event brought together local law enforcement and the community.”
Sows said what stood out was watching children make their own choices.
“While kids had the option to buy toys, candy and whatever they wanted, some chose essential items,” he said. “That’s what public service is all about.”
The event is now in its third year, said Palos Hills Deputy Chief Tony Carroccio, who said officers look forward to it each holiday season.
“We look forward to it every year,” Carroccio said. “You see the smiles, but you also get to feel it.”
Carroccio said his favorite moment from Saturday came during group photos.
“When everyone was saying, ‘Merry Christmas’ or ‘Say cheese,’ I yelled out ‘6-7,’” he said. “The kids went crazy. They were cheering. All the adults just looked at each other.”
Carroccio said he still does not fully understand the trend.
“I don’t even know what it means,” he said. “But the kids know it. And that’s what mattered.”
Officers from Willowbrook, Palos Hills, Burr Ridge and Clarendon Hills participated in this year’s event, assisting 23 children. Each officer received a $150 gift card to shop with their assigned family.
Deputy Chief Gerard Wodka of the Willowbrook Police Department said events like Shop with a Cop show a side of policing the public does not always see.
“When you’re in a police car, it’s hard to be approachable,” Wodka said. “But here, you’re part of the community.”
Wodka said seeing children relax and enjoy the experience is what stays with him.
“It’s wonderful to see the kids smile,” he said.
Ethan Wodka, who volunteered during the event, assisted families as they moved through the store.
“This is an awesome opportunity to be here for one another,” he said. “Our communities know we’re here for each other.”
Kids corrected adults on game names, and no one seemed to mind being wrong.
Near the exit, carts were filled with bags, and hot cocoa waited.
And someone shouted “6-7.”
