CopShop initiative makes Christmas brighter for local kids

CTV Ottawa: Shop with a cop CTV's Katie Griffin joins lucky youngsters who spent the morning Christmas shopping with Ottawa Police officers.

It’s an initiative aiming to make the holidays a little bit brighter and on Wednesday, 25 kids from the west end were able to buy themselves the presents they may otherwise not receive this Christmas.

The initiative is called “CopShop” and is a partnership between Ottawa Police and Carlingwood Shopping Centre.

Each child is paired with an officer for the day and receives a $200 gift card to buy whatever they like. While many chose to buy clothes or toys, some spent money on gifts for others.

The day started when children were picked up from home or school in a police cruiser. They were then treated to a pizza lunch and a shopping spree.

CopShop began in Halifax in 2005. It has now spread to cities across Canada.

With a report from CTV’s Katie Griffin