Cook County Sheriff’s Police Officer Marvin Edwards pushes the cart containing a bicycle and other items for his shopping buddy Zoey Davis during the annual Shop with a Sheriff event Sunday at the Walmart Supercenter in Bedford Park. (Photos by Kevin Beese/Chronicle Media)

When Cook County Sheriff’s Police Officer Marvin Edwards checked out at the Walmart Supercenter in Bedford Park with one of his shopping buddies, he didn’t follow protocol.

He went to a separate register, not the one designated for the Shop with a Sheriff participants.

That is because Edwards’ shopping buddy Zoey Davis well overshot the $100 total designated for participants.

Edwards paid for Davis’ bicycle and other items, as well as the picks of his other shopping buddy, Kimberly de la Cruz, without batting an eye.

“It means a lot,” Edwards said of his participation in the annual Shop with a Sheriff event held Sunday. “When I was a youngster, my mother didn’t have money to get us anything for Christmas.

“This puts a smile on the children’s faces. They can live a little better than what I had.”

Edwards and other Sheriff’s Police laughed, talked with and at time advised youngsters from Ford Heights, Robbins, Posen, Harvey and Markham as they walked the aisles of the Walmart Supercenter.

It was the 11^th annual Shop with a Sheriff event, providing local children an opportunity to shop for Christmas presents. The Cook County Sheriff’s Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4 sponsored the event.

Lt. Michael Rivers pushes the cart as Jamari Nichols and Jayceon Wallace gather sporting goods.

“It’s an opportunity to give back,” Lt. Michael Rivers said of the event while shopping with Jayceon Wallace and Jamari Nichols. “I come on my own time to help the underprivileged kids get an opportunity to come and shop and get some of things they might not be able to get for their holiday season.

“I’ve been doing this for years now and you have kids who come and grab things just for their sisters and their brothers. You have kids who come and grab things just for their mothers. It’s a need and it’s an opportunity for me to come and help so that’s why I’m here.”

Officer Alex Chervinko shopped with Rose Maria and Anahi Gonzalez.

“It’s a blessing because it really is true that giving is better than receiving,” Chervinko said. “It’s such a blessing to be able to share that with the children. As a mom, I just enjoy being able to mentor other children as well.”

Undersheriff Marlon Parks said the event is an opportunity for Sheriff’s Police to give back to the communities they serve.

“You don’t know when you look at a kid’s face what he or she is not getting at Christmastime so we just want to help out,” Parks said. “We just want to help out and bring some joy to their faces.

“The Sheriff’s Office and the local union have been doing this for years. I’ve been doing this the last seven years and it’s just great.

Investigator Vernon Dixon talks with youths who have finished their shopping as bags of purchased gifts await shipping back with the children.

“The biggest thing about it is, that makes me happy, is a lot of times these kids are buying things for their parents. They’re not buying things for themselves. They might buy a little toy here or there, but they’ll be like ‘I’m getting this for my mom’ or ‘I’m getting this for my dad.’

“So hopefully we are instilling something in them that will move forward in their lives and bring a special bond to Christmas. When they’re working and part of society, they can donate their time, donate their money because people helped them when they were young.”

Investigator Faliata Holman said they event means everything to her.

“You’re giving back to the kids. You’re helping out, like my son comes every year because he likes to help give back to the less fortunate.

“We love it. We do. We love to come see the kids. I love to be with my co-workers. It’s just a great feeling and a great time.”

It was Holman’s sixth Shop with a Sheriff event.

“We’ll be back next year, God willing,” she said.

Investigator Vernon Dixon said “it’s heart-warming” to be part of the event.

Zoey Davis talks with Santa about her wish list.

“I love doing it,” Dixon said. “I’ve done it a few years. I like coming and seeing the kids smile. When I was young, somebody took care of me so I’m paying it forward.”

Lt. Marissa Sanchez had a difficult time putting her feelings about the event into words.

“I usually get teary-eyed with this stuff,” Sanchez said. “To me, it’s joy to see the children think about everybody else other than themselves and for them not to be so shy or just afraid of the police.

“Just having that interaction with the children at such a young age, hopefully we can make an impression with them and hopefully they have a great Christmas.”

kbeese@chronicleillinois.com