LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Joe Baeza,

 Thousands of children in the last 2 weeks have left with Christmas presents and smiles after the Laredo Police Department’s Community Relations Unit donated approximately 4,000 toys to local area children.  This week the CRU capped off the gift giving mobilization this week by visiting sick children at both of our local hospitals.  Chief Maldonado also took time out of his busy schedule to make the rounds with Blue Santa and passed out warm wishes and Christmas cheer to sick little boys and girls.  On Saturday December 19, 2009, Blue Santa arrived at the Laredo Police Headquarters via Helicopter (provided by our friends at The Texas Department of Public Safety).  Once Blue Santa touched down, legions of children along with their parents were given Christmas presents in the front lobby.  The visitors were greeted with a singing choir (United High School Choir under the Direction of Paul Foster) who performed many Christmas favorites while the families waited to meet Blue Santa.    

 The Blue Santa program was an enormous success this year.  That success could only be measured in the blinding gleam that could only come from a child’s smile when he or she was given toys for Christmas.  Recent economic hardships have affected many families in ways most people can’t even imagine.  That economic void left many people without the financial means to buy Christmas toys for their kids.  It is for this reason that the Blue Santa program means so much to the community. Many officers and civilian personnel at the Police Department added to the Christmas gift giving efforts and gave gifts from their own pockets for area children in addition to the Blue Santa program.  Those efforts included the Angel Tree program and the Shop with a Cop program.  The Laredo Police 911 Dispatchers and call takers joined in the Christmas spirit and bought many gifts for children as well.  These programs were voluntary and enthusiastically created by the different groups within the Laredo Police Department.  These efforts prove the huge heart many here at the Police Department have, not only during the Christmas holidays, but throughout the year.

  The department wishes to thanks its many sponsors and local businesses that help with this program every year with overwhelming enthusiasm.  The department wishes to also recognize the tireless and often unrecognized efforts of the officers of the Community Relations Unit who are;

           Sgt. Albert Salinas

          Officer Jerry Gonzalez

          Officer Luis Gutierrez

          Officer Alberto Escobedo

          Officer Hector Rodriguez

          Officer Laura Montemayor

          Officer Clarissa Pruneda

 The Laredo Police Department would like to also thank our local media for always helping with the dissemination of information that is crucial to the Blue Santa toy program and for their participation in the Holiday Bowl which brought in vast amounts of contributions.

 Have a safe and joyous Christmas from the Laredo Police Department.