Katy ISD Police Deliver Holiday Joy to Students in Need

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

December 11, 2020

By Natalie Cook Clark

The Katy ISD Police Department’s Santa Cops program will provide gifts for over 1,000 Katy students in need this holiday season. For 18 years, the police department has prioritized giving back to their students with this toy drive.

Photo courtesy KISD

Santa Cops Serves 1,200 KISD Students This Year

Katy ISD police officers and 500 sponsors are making the holidays more cheerful to 1,200 Katy ISD students in need this season through their annual Santa Cops toy drive.

“Families qualify when the teachers nominate the students at the elementary level,” says Elizabeth “Liz” Loocke, Katy ISD Police Specialist. “The elementary school counselors input the information for the elementary age children and their siblings up to age 12.”

Donations were made from local businesses, community members, Katy ISD students and staff.

The department saw a 50-bag increase in donations this year which allowed them to help an additional 50 students this Christmas.

“The Katy ISD Police Department’s Santa Cops Program is an avenue for me to serve the Katy ISD community,” says Ivan Nelson, Captain for Support Bureau at the Katy ISD Police Department. “This program builds a positive rapport between students and police and allows students that are in need an opportunity to have a merry Christmas.”

Officers began delivering gifts this week.

“As long as we have sponsors, we will take children,” says Loocke.

Donations for this year ended in October. That allowed the department time to match students with sponsors and allow sponsors time to shop.

Officer Elfon Shelf Returns to Duty

The Katy ISD Police Department is also continuing their tradition of Officer Elfon Shelf. Their take on the “Elf on the Shelf” in a police uniform has been making his rounds to Katy schools.

Officer Shelf travels around more like a "Flat Stanley" and poses for pictures with strangers, or perhaps, in strange locations.

"Officer Shelf joined the Katy ISD Police Department in December 2014 and has had many adventures during his time with us including being kidnapped and held for ransom in 2018,” says Captain Tabor.

During this pandemic year, Officer Shelf found himself in “Candy Cane Jail” when he failed to properly wear a mask.

Officer Shelf was brought to life by Captain Tabor, and his wife Alicia created his uniform.

Pictures of his antics can be found on their Facebook page.