Cop Shop returns in Regina after pandemic hiatus

Nearly a dozen kids were excitedly bopping around the Cornwall Centre on Wednesday afternoon, gift cards in their hands and Regina police officers clearing the way.

The Regina Police Service partnered up with the mall again this year to bring the Cop Shop back after a two-year break during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Twenty deserving kids were chosen to get a new jacket or pair of boots and a $200 gift card provided by the Cornwall Centre, and to partner with a Regina police officer for the day. Some were chosen by school resource officers, while others were picked from The Regina Intersectoral Partnership (TRIP).

“What I’m most excited about today is being able to go shopping and being able to have like $200 in my pocket finally,” said Eli, who was among the first of the kids to arrive at the mall.

He said he’d like to get a new phone if he could, but there were a few other things on his list too.

“Probably toys and stuff — maybe like a video game or something,” said Eli.

He said he didn’t know about the program before he was picked but he was excited when he heard.

Lorilee Davies, the deputy chief of operations at the Regina Police Service, was on hand to launch the day of food, shopping and fun.

“They’re paired with an officer who walks them through the day. They get to eat lunch together, (the officers) help (the kids) make their purchases, they wrap their gifts at the end of the day, and then (the officers) take (the kids) home,” said Davies.

“They start out as strangers at the beginning of the day, but by the end of the day, it’s amazing — just the bond that’s created.”

Davies was part of the very first Cop Shop in 2015 and said it was amazing.

“For our officers participating, it really gets back to the heart of why you wanted to be a police officer. It’s making a difference to a child in the community (and) creating that relationship. Even with my shopper, we stayed in touch for months afterwards,” said Davies.

“Our officers see a lot of things in the day-to-day duties of their jobs and it’s really an opportunity to have a feel-good day (and) get that relationship with somebody in the community. I don’t know who benefits more, the kids or the police officers.”