With lights flashing and Christmas music playing, Wareham Police stuffed police cruisers full of donated toys for the Dick Melloni Youth Foundation on Sunday, December 11.

Police and cruisers were strategically stationed at Walmart in East Wareham and Target in West Wareham for the event, called "Stuff-a-Cruiser." Generous citizens dropped off everything from games and dolls to stuffed animals and bicycles.

More than 1,000 toys were collected throughout the duration of the event, Wareham Police Officer Karl Baptiste said in a statement.

Baptiste organized this year's drive, the second annual, and said he was humbled by the response.

"When a child hands you a toy to be delivered to another child, it makes the program worthwhile," Baptiste said.

Officers Dean Decas, Blaise Lalli, Joseph Cardoza, and Chris Corner collected the toys, along with Sgt. Walter Correia and Lieutenants Kevin Walsh and John Walcek.

The police were assisted by helpful elves Monica and Anna Walcek, Traci Corner, and Connor Walsh, as well as Santa's helper himself, Wareham resident Russ Brady.

The Dick Melloni Youth Foundation hosts a toy drive annually and distributes donations to children in Wareham and Onset. The foundation, formed to support the health and education of area youth, is named for Richard H. Melloni, a former Wareham fire chief who died suddenly in 1993.

The Wareham Police Department plans to host another successful event in 2012.