Today, these Youngstown cops came bearing gifts

YOUNGSTOWN

When several police show up at someone’s front door, smiles are usually hard to come by.

But not today.

That’s because members of the department’s Community Police Unit along with some members of the vice squad came bearing gifts for the holiday season.

For the third-straight year, the CPU is giving gifts to needy families in the city for the holiday. Patrol officers also will help out giving gifts Saturday.

Detective Sgt. Pat Kelly, head of the CPU, said this year the department had more than 50 requests for help, the most it has had yet. Gifts were donated by citizens when the department had a Fill A Cruiser event earlier this month, as well as from the Marine Corps Reserve Toys For Tots program.

And for the third-straight year, an anonymous donor also supplied the department with Walmart gift cards, which allowed police to buy specific gifts for some children as well as coats and gloves and hats, since some families did not have gear for the winter.

Read about the reactions of some of the community's kids who were helped in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.