Santa Claus and Cincinnati police officers in District 2 will distribute gifts today to 32 needy families in Evanston and Madisonville.

        Sgt. Brian Ibold, who heads the robbery task force for the district, said they started the effort about a month ago.

        “We went to the food pantries in the district and came up with a list of needy families,” Sgt. Ibold said. “We gave the names to officers and 32 officers each adopted a family.”

        He said they will load the gifts in cruisers and vans and travel throughout the district taking them to the needy families.

        And of course, he said, they had to bring in someone who fit the physical description of Santa.

        “I think he is the brother of an officer,” Sgt Ibold said. “None of us fit the description, because we have to stay in shape.”

        They plan to leave district headquarters in Hyde Park about 2 p.m. Sgt. Ibold said they will start at the addresses closest to the district and move in a convoy to the others.

        Some of the officers who adopted families will show up to introduce themselves.

        This is the first time the district has done this, but Sgt. Ibold is very familiar with it.

        “We do this each year at my church, New Hope Community Church in Delhi,” he said.

        He said he decided to try it with the police district.

        “It received tremendous support, from the captain through all the officers,” he said. “They were very generous and gracious.”

        He said the gifts involved more than just toys. He said one family with eight children had a fire and lost everything.

        “We bought furniture, clothes and toys,” he said.

        District 2 is made up of the neighborhoods of California, Columbia Tusculum, East End, Evanston, Hyde Park, Kennedy Heights, Linwood, Mount Lookout, Mount Washington, Madisonville, Oakley and Pleasant Ridge.

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