Kids and cops take over Regina mall for Christmas shopping spree

The Cornwall Centre was filled with smiling faces and police officers wearing Santa hats and elf ears Wednesday.

It was to celebrate the seventh annual CopShop event, in which 20 children are paired up with Regina police officers for an unforgettable shopping spree.

Each child earned their spot by working hard at school, setting and completing goals, having good attendance and having a positive attitude.

Parker Baumann, 13, is no exception.

Parker Baumann told Santa she wants a hot pink beanie for Christmas. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)

She had a lot of items on her shopping list, but most of them were for her friends or family, which she was happy to do.

“I’m having a blast! The fact that I’m able to go out and buy some things for my friends but also myself too (is great),” she said.

Her list included lip gloss and pink nails for her sister, Fortnite cards for her brothers, and earrings and a claw flip for her friends.

She even got a gift for one of her favourite teachers.

“Because he’s awesome and he’s been my teacher now for two years,” Baumann said.

Parker Baumann got her teacher some expo markers, saying they often disappear from the classroom. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)

The day started with a limousine ride from her school to the mall.

“It was awesome. I was the last to get picked up but it was still fun,” she explained.

She was then paired with Regina Police Service Insp. Kelly Trithart. They were a perfect match as they both love pineapple on pizza, which they had for lunch.

Baumann even got her personal shopper a festive hat to wear.

Trithart was blown away by Baumann’s kindness, humour and shopping skills.

“It’s been great,” he said. “She’s got a great attitude (and is a) really pleasant young lady. She’s more organized than I am. I think I learned a little bit from her today as well.”

Insp. Kelly Trithart helped Parker Baumann pick out gift cards for her siblings. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)

Trithart said this event is important to the Regina Police Service.

“It’s a really exciting day to work with young kids like this,” he said. “A lot of times, they have some adversity and struggles and things that they have to work through and they all have shown that they’ve done that. So this is a great day for them to celebrate and go shopping and have a lot of fun.”

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• Regina kids pair up with police for Christmas shopping spree

Fifteen of the kids were chosen from The Regina Intersectoral Partnership (TriP) program, which helps youths between the ages of five and 18 stay on the right track. The other five were chosen by their school resource officers.

Each kid gets a choice of a new winter coat or boots and a $200 gift card to the Cornwall Centre to spend on whatever they want.

RPS Deputy Chief Lorilee Davies said most kids choose to buy things for others.

“Their presents are gift-wrapped at the end of the day so they can literally go home and put presents under the tree for their family,” she said. “That’s the shopping part of it, but then the other beautiful side effect is the relationship between the children and the officers.”

She said the connection police make with the children is priceless.

“We’ve had officers in previous years who had a lot of seniority, that I would say have a tough exterior, and after spending a day with kids, you can almost see their heart unmelting in terms of getting that positive interaction with the community,” said Davies.

“In so many occasions, we’re interacting with folks on their worst days, so it really is a refreshing of why they joined the police force in the first place, which is to make a difference.”

The event is also put on with help of the Great Canadian Oil Change.