ST. LOUIS – Rural and urban “Shop with a Cop” holiday giving programs are again getting support from the IBEW/NECA Electrical Connection partnership.  The partnership has been supporting the St. Francois County “Shop with a Cop” for 27 years.  In 2016, it supported the relaunch of a similar program in Ferguson, Mo. and has supported it ever since.   Both programs received a $5,000 donation to help law enforcement purchase holiday gifts for children that they would not otherwise receive.  The Electrical Connection is a partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1 and the St. Louis Chapter, National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).

Paying it forward. Farmington Police Officer Jeff Kostedt, who was served by the St. Francois County "Shop with a Cop" program when he was seven years old, takes a child holiday shopping at the December 16, 2022 "Shop with a Cop" in Farmington, Mo. This is the 30th anniversary of the St. Francois County program -- the region's largest -- serving 584 children in need. It has garnered broad support, including the members of the IBEW/NECA Electrical Connection in St. Louis which has helped fund law enforcement trust building program for 27 years.

Danny Miller, COO of Total Electric, first engaged the Electrical Connection in 1995 in the St. Francois County “Shop with a Cop” program.  Total Electric has supported the program for 30 years since its inception.  Today, it has grown to become one of the largest in the nation and served more than 500 children this year.  On December 16, 2022, law enforcement and first responders from throughout the state gathered at the Wal-Mart in Farmington, Mo. to take the children holiday shopping.

“Especially in this day and age, it is inspiring to see communities come together through ‘Shop with a Cop’ to brighten the holidays for families in need,” noted Miller. “But more than that, it is an enduring law enforcement trust building program.”

“We greatly appreciate the IBEW/NECA Electrical Connection’s nearly three decades of support which has allowed us to serve so many children,” said Dan Bullock, St. Francois County Sheriff.  To date, the Electrical Connection has donated $89,000 to the St. Francois County ‘Shop with a Cop’

The Ferguson “Shop with a Cop,” which the Electrical Connection has provided $35,000 in support since 2016, was held on Dec. 21, 2022. It served 27 children. Parents arrived at the Ferguson Police Department at 222 S. Florissant Rd. to pick up gifts for their children from law enforcement.

“Our workforce and contractors live and work in St. Louis and communities throughout eastern Missouri,” noted Frank Jacobs, business manager, IBEW. “It has long been a basic tenet that our service goes beyond the construction and maintenance of electrical and communication technology infrastructure. Programs like ‘Shop with a Cop’ allow us to support the less fortunate in the communities we serve.”

The Electrical Connection represents 135 IBEW-signatory electrical contractors and more than 5,000 highly skilled IBEW electricians and communication technicians.  Members of the Electrical Connection provide safe and reliable electrical construction, maintenance, repair and replacement services across Missouri, the nation and the world.  For more information visit www.electricalconnection.org.