Retired police officer Darrell Cortez boosts literacy in San Jose schools

Originally from San Jose Spotlight Darrell Cortez retired more than a decade ago from the San Jose Police Department, so he isn’t fighting crime in the streets anymore. But he is working on preventing crime before it starts — by investing in children’s education. Since 2007, Cortez and his wife, Alicia, have operated the Shop with a Cop Foundation, which supports language arts-based education in six San Jose schools. The foundation is best known for its namesake December event at which students who perform well in the Readers Are Leaders Campaign are rewarded with a big shopping trip to purchase holiday gifts for their families. ...