GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Animal Control Officer Samantha Stopplemore didn’t mean to cause such a stir with her handmade Christmas ornaments. The Gridley-Biggs Police Department first advertised the glass collector’s ornaments Tuesday on Facebook – some featuring the “thin blue line” logo in honor and support of law enforcement or the “K-9 Pawprint” in honor of Gridley’s loveable K-9 officer, Kilo.  They were sold out by Thursday.

Officer Stopplemore says, “We did not anticipate it.” She says, “We were brainstorming fundraising ideas.” She thought, “Well let’s get people to come into the lobby. We got a tree out there, let’s make some ornaments.” 

The ornaments were an instant hit and achieved a dual-purpose goal – raising funds and inviting the public in to see what the department and K-9 program was all about. The lobby was “full of the cutest kids with the biggest smiles,” as they came to meet the loveable, drug-sniffing, yellow lab, Kilo, says dispatcher Chandra Wroten. Some people bought ornaments, some just came in to donate to the program and say hello.

Officer Stopplemore says, “To get kilo in the first place (Officer) Jared Cooley had worked on grant funding and donations and that’s how we got it all started. Now we have to continue with that fundraising effort so that it’s an annual effort because he (Kilo) does do continued training.” The GBPD hopes to make the ornaments a tradition, selling them each year to maintain Kilo’s position and training with the department.

This year the first batch of 26 of the 2019 ornaments sold-out in 2 days. Sunday, the tree was restocked with a total of 50 available – all for just $10 each. Supply is limited and won’t last long. Visit the GBPD lobby to get yours before they are all gone.