The Office of Community Affairs (OCA) had a vision for Christmas 2019. They wanted to start a toy drive this holiday season that was different from all the others. With such great programs like Toys for Tots and Santa Cops, the Community Affairs team wanted to go a step further, and a step further they did.

The team gathered donated toys from the North Texas Relocation Association and Dallas Parks and Rec and decided that the delivery of these toys would be different. The toys, unlike the other toy drives, would actually be gift-wrapped. The gift wrapped toys would then be given to needy children so they would have a present to open on Christmas morning.

With the partnership of Wal Mart, wrapping paper and tape was supplied to the OCA team and a date was set to wrap the toys. An email was sent out to the entire police department asking for helper elves to assist with the toy wrapping.

On Friday, December 13, 2019, staff from all over the department came to participate in this worthy cause. The elves came from a variety of divisions such as Crime Scene Response Unit, Personnel, Northwest and Southeast Patrol Divisions, Recruiting, Legal, AFIS, Crimes Against Persons Unit, and more.

The spirit of giving could be seen on the faces of the members of the department knowing they would bring a smile to a child’s face. In an hours’ time, over a hundred gifts were wrapped and ready for a child.

Sergeant West, who is the supervisor of the Office of Community Affairs, stated at the end of the toy wrapping event, “I know this will be the first of something amazing for years to come”.

The toys will be delivered to several different charities within the City of Dallas, and the staff is excited to see the faces as they receive their gifts this season. It is safe to say, the first Dallas Police Department’s “Wrap a Toy Drive” was a great success and next year will be bigger!

Written by Senior Corporal Kevin Kelley

Office of Community Affairs