When Aspinwall police Deputy Chief Michael Vith enters a room, it isn’t typically accompanied by whooping and applause.
Then again, he’s not typically carrying a sack full of presents with Santa and Mrs. Claus trailing close behind.
“It’s a little different from when we walked into the hospital, huh? Everyone’s out front cheering and clapping,” Vith said to several officers as they stacked tables with Barbie dolls, Marvel action figures, puzzles, toys and other gifts. “Now you see why so many guys love coming here.”
Vith and officers from more than a dozen departments spent three days in December traveling around Allegheny County delivering Christmas presents to children and young adults through Presents From Police, an annual program started by the Aspinwall Police Department and now in its 14th year. They stopped at the Children’s Institute on Dec. 17 and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh on Dec. 19.
On Dec. 23, they made their final stop at the Sunrise School in Monroeville, which serves young people up to age 21 with special needs.
Sunrise students lined the front hallway and the school entrance to welcome the caravan of police cars, which arrived with their lights blazing and Santa Claus in tow.
“I love the excitement the officers have as we’re packing things up,” said Aspinwall police Chief David Nemec. “It’s so much fun. A lot of officers have come here every year since we started coming to Sunrise, and the ones who are here for the first time will be back.”
Sunrise Principal Dave Campos said the joy on students’ faces is the best part of the program.
“We’re an educational institution, but any opportunity we can take to bring some joy is wonderful,” he said. “We don’t necessarily know what kind of Christmas a lot of the kids here are going to have, so it’s great to be able to send them home with a couple of presents.”
Nemec said the program is a great way to boost morale among participating officers.
“Santa’s the main attraction, but the officers just can’t get enough of it,” he said. “It’s what Christmas and Presents From Police is all about.”
