Thursday May 8

Cop that cares getting award

Mountain View officer to be honored for holiday program

By Melanie Carroll / Daily News Staff Writer

The Mountain View police officer who started the annual Cops that Care program is being honored today for his work.

Ron Cooper is slated to be named the 2008 Champion for Youth during a special breakfast held at Michaels at Shoreline.

During the Challenge Team's 21st annual Champions for Youth breakfast, Cooper will be presented with the award.

Cooper created the holiday Cops that Care program in 2003 after he realized some local families are not able to provide gifts for their children. The program grew from 500 donated gifts during the first year to 2,200 presents last year.

The police officer is also involved in the department's Dreams and Futures summer gang prevention program and outreach to at-risk youth and works with the Mountain View Police Activities League. Later this month, he's planning to launch MVPAL Boxing, which will provide at-risk youth with a structured activity three afternoons a week.

"While all of these activities are relevant to his work as school resource officer, he does not do them in his official capacity but, rather, as a community volunteer affiliated with the police department," police Chief Scott Vermeer said.

Cooper started as a police officer in the department in January 1997. He has worked as a school resource officer since May 2005.



E-mail Melanie Carroll at mcarroll@dailynewsgroup.com.