Houston Chronicle – Has your kid made the naughty list this year?
If so, the Pearland Police Department in Houston has the perfect holiday photo-op for your little trickster.
The department’s youth training program, the Pearland Police Explorers #237, is hosting a “Mugshots with Santa” event Thursday, Dec. 5 and Saturday, Dec. 14. Attendees can choose from a variety of lighthearted booking signs to make their personalized mugshot, such as “Texting addict;” “Aggie fan” and “Refuses to nap.”
Last year’s inaugural fundraiser raised roughly $7,000 for the program, outreach officer for the Pearland Police Department Ryden Cohen said. The youth program provides training for high school students and young adults through age 21 that are interested in law enforcement careers and it is supplemented through fundraisers organized by the students.
After last year’s success brought long wait times and lines – sometimes reaching up to 40 minutes – Cohen said the department made a few changes. Photos are only taken on cell phones now and groups of four are limited to taking only one photo.
“We still have the photographers doing [the photos] but.. the cell phones take such good photos and it’s so much faster,” Cohen said.
All ages are welcome to take photos, including parents. The photos run $10 for the first person in the photo and $5 per additional person, with a four-person limit due to space restrictions. Thursday’s event runs from 5 to 8 p.m.; the Dec. 14 event will run 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cohen said a third event may be added for Dec. 19, but that date is tentative based on demand and volunteer availability. Pets are not allowed at the photo-ops but there is a possibility for an animal-friendly event in the future, Cohen said.
The Pearland Police Department is located at 2555 Cullen Parkway, Pearland.