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WILKES-BARRE &mdash; The $12 it cost to &ldquo;Adopt a Wilkes-Barre Cop&rdquo; paid dividends with an outpouring of gratitude from the chief on down.
				The event organized by several groups to recognize the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department drew a crowd to the parking lot outside headquarters Friday afternoon.
				&ldquo;My hat&rsquo;s off to everybody who put this together because it was a secret up until a couple days ago,&rdquo; said Police Chief Joseph Coffay.
				But even with their cover blown, the Wilkes-Barre Crime Watch, the Wilkes-Barre Citizens Blight Committee, New Roots Recovery Support Center and DJ Donnie Evans managed to surprise the 81 officers with food, a gift and a show of support. The approximate $1,000 raised paid for mugs filled with gift cards from local restaurants, lottery tickets and candy and a replica of a police badge carved from wood and placed in a shadow box.
				&ldquo;Every dime that we get donated is going strictly to the police department,&rdquo; said Mary Ellen Jones, president of the Crime Watch Coalition.
				Jones thanked Coffay, the officers and Mayor George Brown for working to keep the city safe and protect its residents and visitors.
				Brown said he received a letter from the FBI crediting the police department for its role in the investigation of a heroin and fentanyl distribution ring that resulted in 11 arrests.
				&ldquo;Everything is looking up and that&rsquo;s what we want. We want to look up. We don&rsquo;t want to look down or back. We want to look up,&rdquo; Jones said.
				Community Policing Officer Kirk Merchel, who works with the Crime Watch, echoed Jones&rsquo; words.
				&ldquo;Things are going to get better. Things are getting better by leaps and bounds,&rdquo; Merchel told the crowd of approximately 75 people.
				Merchel expressed his appreciation for the event, saying he was moved by the support shown him and the rest of the department.
				&ldquo;Over the past few months, we all know what&rsquo;s going on in the news and sometimes we get a little discouraged by what goes on. But an event like this, it renews, it rejuvenates us, because we know that you guys appreciate what we do,&rdquo; Merchel said.
				Paul Ceonzo traveled from Mountain Top to say thanks.
				&ldquo;Since March the police have, their jobs have become much more difficult and I&rsquo;m here to let them know I support them 100%,&rdquo; Ceonzo, 63, said.
				The trip for Collyn Hinchey was shorter and her message the opposite. Hinchey who lives on South Franklin Street held a hand lettered sign that said, &ldquo;&lsquo;Adoption&rsquo; is for those in need,&rdquo; and pointed out the police department&rsquo;s budget of $14.2 million takes up 27% of the city&rsquo;s $51.9 million budget.
				Other organizations could use the money donated to &ldquo;Adopt a Wilkes-Barre Cop,&rdquo; Hinchey said.
				&ldquo;We give them so much money already. They get $14 million a year. So to me right now in this pandemic, I understand wanting to support the police, but I don&rsquo;t know that it&rsquo;s the right moment for it. I don&rsquo;t know that this is the right moment,&rdquo;Hinchey said.
				For Patrolmen Maivaun Houssein the time was right. He greeted 7-year-old Jayden Lord who was dressed in a police uniform.
				&ldquo;That&rsquo;s the point of this,&rdquo; Houssein said. &ldquo;With our youth here and how we&rsquo;re portrayed really in the media, we want to change their mind too. So I think that&rsquo;s always important too, talking to the kids.&rdquo;
				Yuannis Polemitis had formed his opinion of the police. His dad, Yuannis Sr. is on the force in Wilkes-Barre.
				&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s great. I&rsquo;m proud of him,&rdquo; said Polemitis, 14. &ldquo;He doesn&rsquo;t have to do it. It&rsquo;s a dangerous job.&rdquo;

Public shows support for Wilkes-Barre police with ‘Adopt a Cop’ event