How An Idaho Police Department Challenges Parents to Up Their Elf Game
For years, you’ve sat back and quietly watched creative photos of other parents’ “Elf on the Shelf” shenanigans. Your kids are finally at the age where they can appreciate their own “scout elf” so you caved and brought one into your home. Now you have regrets.
You’re losing sleep at night trying to figure out where to move it to next. You’re filling your Pinterest board with ideas from parents who’ve walked this road before you. You’re frantically texting your spouse who leaves for work after your “MOVE THE ELF. I FORGOT!” This elf has stressed you out more than you could’ve ever imagined!
Well, we don’t want to add insult to injury, but we’re going to tell you that NOTHING you come up with will top what’s happening at the Nampa Police Department! For the last few years, the masterminds behind the department’s Facebook account have chronicled the adventures of their scout elf, Officer Coal.
Officer Coal has been keeping an eye on the NPD since 2020 and seems to get himself into some sort of shenanigans every time he visits from the North Pole. Last year, two officers from the Bomb Unit sent Officer Coal back to the North Pole by shooting him out of a potato gun. The department knew that Officer Coal was upset about it and thought he wouldn’t return this year.
Officer Coal may not have been happy about traveling by potato, but Santa LOVEd the creativity and that’s exactly how he sent the elf back to Nampa this year!
Officer Coal got some bumps and bruises when he crashlanded, but Jose from the Canyon County Paramedics got him patched up and back on his feet.
Once he was back on his feet, Officer Coal headed to the Downtown Nampa Christmas tree lighting on Saturday, November 26 and was proud to report back to Santa that no one at the celebration did anything deserving of ending up on the naughty list.
He had a serious discussion with Nampa Police Department Detective, Ian Cole, about setting the record straight about who was getting into mischief. Detective Cole didn’t want to take the blame for Officer Coal’s shenanigans again this year.
Internal Affairs also hopes to keep Officer Coal in line this year. Others around the department think they caught Officer Coal in the middle of a policy review.
Feeling a little discouraged by these attitudes, Officer Coal went to talk to the Chief. To prove that he was here to do good, he requested to be a Community Helper. Chief Huff, though hesitant, agreed.
His first task? Lending a helping hand at the friendliest coffee shop in Nampa, Dutch Bros!
It looked like everything was going well…until Officer Coal had too much-whipped cream and was asked to leave. (They sent him away with gratitude.)
And that was all in the first week of the season with the Nampa Police Department! If you want to keep up with Officer Coal’s future shenanigans, make sure you follow the department on Facebook!
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