Santa’s got a new ride this Christmas season.
Instead of his usual sleigh with eight reindeer, he’s decided to ride shotgun with Sgt. Mike Solwold of the Oxford Village Police. Okay, so it’s not the real Santa, but a three-foot tall figure Solwold found on Lakes Edge Dr. while on patrol last Christmas.
‘He was at the end of the street, right on the side of the road,? he said. ‘I thought maybe it was a person lying there.?
Solwold said the department posted a notice to the public for a missing Santa figure, but no one responded.
So, the sergeant took it upon himself to take care of the neglected Santa. His mother sewed up some holes in the bean-filled figure and he became Solwold’s ‘back-up buddy.?
‘He rode with me the rest of that season and so now he’s the department Santa, and he’s gonna ride with me every Christmas,? he said.
Santa takes his rides after the annual Christmas parade downtown. This year he even got to lead the parade in the patrol car.
He will ride with Solwold during every night shift until Christmas is over. Then it’s back to the basement ? with a bag over him to make sure he doesn’t get dusty. What do people think when they see St. Nick on patrol?
‘I get a lot of head turns driving down the road. They’ll look at me and then look back real quick, like ‘what in the … ??? Solwold said.
Santa has seen everything from drunk driving arrests, to minor traffic violations to domestic assaults, but he stays in the car with his seatbelt on.
Solwold said he’s always loved the holidays and doesn’t care his fellow officers give him grief about the man in the red suit. ‘It’s the holiday season and I’ve got a sense of humor,? he said.
Until someone claims the figure, Santa is Solwold’s side-kick.
Who knows, he may even help him deliver presents Christmas Eve.
‘I look at it as he wants a birds-eye view of who’s actually naughty and nice in Oxford,? Solwold said. ‘I thought I’d help him out.?
Santa has seen anything from drunk driving arrests, to minor traffic violations to domestic assaults.
He stays in the car, though, with his seatbelt on.
Solwold said he’s always loved the holidays and doesn’t care when the other officers give him grief about the doll.
‘It’s the holiday season and I’ve got a sense of humor,? he said.
Until someone claims the doll, Santa is Solwold’s side-kick.
Who knows, he may even help him deliver presents Christmas Eve.
‘I look at it as he wants a birds-eye view of who’s actually naughty and nice in Oxford,? Solwold said. ‘I thought I’d help him out.?