KATY, Texas (Covering Katy News) — The Katy Independent School District Police Department spread holiday cheer to hundreds of local families last week through its annual Santa Cops program, which provided Christmas gifts to more than 800 students.
The initiative, now in its 22nd year, relied on nearly 200 community sponsors to fulfill holiday wishes.
"It's amazing how all of the toys and gifts we collect each year transform our Police Station into a Christmas wonderland," said Chief Henry Gaw of the Katy ISD Police Department. "We cannot thank everyone enough for helping to make our students' Christmas bright."
The program operates through referrals from elementary school counselors, who identify students whose families need additional support during the holidays. Selected families are scheduled to collect their gifts from the police department before Christmas.
Since its inception in 2002, when it served just 30 students, Santa Cops has experienced substantial growth through increased community and district sponsorship.