COSTA MESA : Police Play Santa For Needy Families

Santa’s helpers in one holiday program for the needy have badges and guns.

Police officers at Costa Mesa’s Westside substation have been wrapping toys and preparing boxes of food this week for a Christmas party that is scheduled for today.

In the spirit of the season, the officers, in cooperation with local schools and charities, have identified 160 needy families in Costa Mesa who have been invited to stop by the police station to pick up goods purchased with cash donations from the community.

Gerry Badasch, a senior volunteer with the Costa Mesa police and coordinator of the event, said the annual food and gift giveaway has grown steadily for 10 years because of the generosity of the town’s residents.

This year, he said, more than $3,000 has been given and donations are continuing to arrive.

“People keep coming by with their checkbooks saying that they want to help out,” Badasch said.

Each family will receive a ham, a large bag of groceries and gifts chosen with the age and gender of each child in mind.

Dozens of police officers, police and community volunteers, city employees and, of course, Santa Claus will be on hand to hand out the boxes.

“It is a lot of fun seeing the kids knowing they are going to have a Christmas,” said Westside substation commander, Lt. Alan Kent.

“You can read it all over their faces.”