Today, we have in the news a couple stories of shopping with cops programs in Western North Carolina (1, 2). Personally, I think it is a weird thing to “encourage positive relationships with law enforcement” by lavishing gifts on youth. But I won’t complain. The officers appear to have donated their time, and all shopping funds were donated from private sources. People were happy, and far be it from me to complain about how people get their jollies without government sponsorship. Although it is not part of the politically-correct script, the cops’ presence surely discouraged shrinkage to boot.