A group of deserving students was able to have some help to complete their Christmas shopping this year through the annual CopShop event held in northeast Calgary on Wednesday.
27 students were paired up with police officers and given a $200 gift card to use at the shopping centre.
The participants are chosen based on need and through academic, sports and volunteering achievements.
The aim of the CopShop program is to foster a good relationship between the CPS and youth.
“I’m really excited to spend time with the kids. I think it’s an awesome idea to buy some stuff for their family,” said Constable Gemma Baker, who took part in the event. “That’s really nice of her because the money is really given to them to spend on whatever they want.”
Baker says that she wants people to see police in a positive light and events like these achieve that exact goal.
“We want the kids in the community to see us as trusted adults who they can always come to whenever they need help.”
CopShop has been running in Calgary for the past 12 years.
