One law enforcement officer is taking the spirit of giving to the next level

By Kolby Crossley of SWX Right Now Fox news station

BOZEMAN – One Law Enforcement Officer is taking the spirit of giving to the next level. Deputy Sheriff Dean DuVall out of Park County has created Operation Christmas Lights, it’s an operation to help families in need this Christmas by donating hundreds of presents.

In its first year of operation, Operation Christmas Lights will be delivering presents to 102 kids this Christmas.

Deputy Sheriff Dean DuVall says, “One of the things I wanted to see with this operation was bridging the gap between the public and the police.”

Deputy Sheriff DuVall went to the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch with the idea of donating presents to those in need on Christmas. He says this operation has become bigger than everyone involved in it.

“It exploded once they got excited about, about doing a team project and then we ended up locating 102 kids within the county,” says DuVall.

In its first year of operation, close to five thousand dollars has been donated to purchase 400 gifts.

“One of the main things that officers are going to do on this night is demonstrate to others that simple acts of kindness can actually crush hatred,” DuVall continues.

Joshua Bigner, Case Manager at the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch says DuVall stepping up like this is an incredible act.

Bigner says, “I think it’s a great thing, I think it’s just great that Dean DuVall was willing enough and brave enough to promote this project to us.”

DuVall with the help of the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch put this operation together in just ten days. He now wants to challenge the rest of the nation.

DuVall says, “This is going to be contagious, acts of kindness are becoming contagious when people see this. And I challenge leaders across Montana and across our nation to come up with a better operation and better ideas to better their communities.”

Deputy Sheriff DuVall says you never know what the future holds but he hopes to continue operation Christmas lights next year.

Click here to watch the video segment by Bozeman, Montana’s SWX Right Now news station.