Keighyn Taylor was one of about 18 children who came to shop for their families with the assistance of Cranberry Township police officers at a Shop with a Cop event Thursday evening at the Cranberry Target store. Keighyn shopped alongside Officer Duane Brucker.

CRANBERRY TWP ­— More than a dozen area children, flanked by 26 township police officers, were ready to Shop with a Cop on Thursday night, giving the children a chance to buy gifts for their families and bringing the community and its police force closer together this holiday season.

The children, about 18 students from Haine Elementary and Middle schools, each partnered with an officer who helped them pick out gifts at Target on Route 228.

The department partnered with Target and MSA Safety to fund the event, with each student getting over $200 to spend on gifts.

“Most of the officers in the department that were able came out,” said Sgt. Chuck Mascellino. “We just took individual kids; they got to spend a couple hundred dollars on themselves and family members which is really nice. They got to pick out the gifts they wanted to buy and we had a nice event here tonight.”

Kristjun and Sydney Taylor of Cranberry Township took their son, Keighyn, to the event, and said they're very happy for the chance to get to know the officers.

“We're very excited,” said Kristjun Taylor as his son shopped. “We come from a smaller town than this. To see a bigger town, to us, have that small town feel, (to) really just want to keep it local, it's pretty cool. I really like it.”

Sydney Taylor said she's glad her son and the other children have a chance to get to spend time with police officer.

“It's a good way to build familiarity,” she said.

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Emanii Salomon, 5, shops with a Cranberry Township police officer Thursday night.