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Meeting Santa and buying Christmas gifts are all a part of the annual Cops and Kids event at the Cornwall Mall in Regina.
Twenty deserving kids are paired up with a Regina Police Service (RPS) officer and a student from the Scott Police Academy for a holiday shopping spree.
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Half of the children are part of the Regina Intersectional Partnership (TRiP) and the other half were chosen by their RPS School Resources Officer.
The children are chosen based on need, academic success, athletic accomplishment, volunteerism and good attitudes.
Blaine Hamilton, nine, said he likes to help his classmates.
“Treating people how you want to be treated, that’s how it works,” Hamilton said.
Blaine Hamilton and RPS Constable Frank Kovacs even got to meet Santa Claus! (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
While he had a long shopping list, many of the items were for his family, including his mom, dad, sister and baby brother.
“I got stocked up with toques from my family, and I got my dad some socks,” he said proudly.
“They’re (his family) really important to me.”
He got his sister Lego flowers and his baby brother new shoes.
On top of the $200 gift card — provided by the Cornwall — they also receive a $200 gift card from the Great Canadian Oil Change for winter gear. Hamilton got a winter coat, boots and ski pants.
Hamilton treated himself too, buying a stuffed goose, which he named Gooshy.
“I got my new best friend,” he said, holding the goose. “He’s really good.”
With his new stuffed animal in tow, Blaine Hamilton was unstoppable at the Cornwall Mall, getting everything on his wish list. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
After the shopping spree, volunteers help wrap the gifts for the kids to take home.
Now, Hamilton can’t wait for his family to open their gifts on Christmas, saying family time is his favourite part about the holidays.
Hamilton was paired up with RPS Constable Frank Kovacs, who helped him find all the items on his wish list, and good deals along the way.
Kovacs said he’s grateful to be a part of the special day.
“Being a police officer is very important in many ways, but one main thing is to be just involved in the community and building strong, genuine relationships, especially with the youth,” he said.
The trio took great care reviewing Hamilton’s wish list, which included gifts for his whole family. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
Kovacs had nothing but good things to say about Hamilton.
“He’s not selfish at all. He did want some stuff for himself, which is normal. He was told to do that, but a big part of his choices were for his family, which I think is phenomenal,” he said.
Kovacs reflected on his own childhood, saying he once had a mentor of his own. He hopes the police officers can be good role models for the young children.
“I love my job so much because of this,” he said.
“We can have a chance and opportunity to be a role model for youth in our city to help them hopefully make good decisions in life and to have a chance to be very successful in whatever they want to do.”
The program is in its 13th year. It used to be called ‘Cop Shop,’ but it’s now called Cops and Kids.
The change was made to ensure it highlighted the important role the kids have in the event.
The kids and their cop buddy are treated to lunch before the shopping spree begins. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)
