“The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department was proud to partner with UFC for the inaugural Dick’s Sporting Good’s Back to School Shop with a Cop event,” said Rachel Skidmore, Las Vegas Metro Police Department Director of Office Community Engagement. “It is important to note that this event represents so much more than material possessions. This event represents empowerment. All children deserve the right to succeed academically, and this is our community’s way of showing these children that we see them, we stand with them, and we are cheering them on from the sidelines for their best academic year yet.”
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During the event, athletes and law enforcement officers joined more than 30 under-resourced kids from local areas across the Las Vegas Valley as they were able to shop for clothing, shoes, and accessories. UFC’s presenting sponsorship of the event provided each student with a $200 gift card and a free pair of Under Armour BSR-3 trainers, along with UFC-branded notebooks, and pens.
“The beginning of each school year is very important and providing these kids with tools to help them start their academic year on a positive note is imperative to their growth,” said Osbourne. “Before I was a UFC athlete, I was a schoolteacher back in Wisconsin, and it’s the little things like this that make a huge difference to their overall confidence and motivation to do well in school. This is the first event, but hopefully, we’ll be able to expand this to include more kids for next year to make an even bigger impact.”
Established in 1999, the Las Vegas Metro Police Foundation raises funds to support and supplement the organization’s programs and initiatives.
Through the foundation’s Law Enforcement Empowerment and Athletic Program (LEEAP), LVMPD partners with local sports entities, such as UFC, on campaigns to provide youth with positive alternatives through athletics, education, and mentorship.
The LEEAP programs allow LVMPD officers to cultivate strong positive relationships with participants, most of whom reside in lower socio-economic areas of the valley. The goal of this initiative is to foster inclusiveness and good citizenship through participation in one or more of the athletic and educational programs available for free. To learn more, please visit LVMPDFD.
