Raiden Jean Louis is just 9-years old and he wants to buy a fast car.
And the police are okay with that. In fact, they helped him pick one out.
It’s an RC car – one of the items on the Ottawa youngster’s “CopShop” shopping list.
CopShop is an annual event that matches selected children with police officers who take them to the mall for a day of shopping. The mall provides each child with a $200 gift card.
Raiden was one of 25 children selected for a shopping spree at Ottawa's Carlingwood Mall. He was paired with Ottawa Police Constable Paul Baechler who was more than happy to act as Raiden’s shopping assistant, bodyguard, and buddy for the day. “Absolutely. I get to hang out with these great kids,” he says.
The children chosen for CopShop were recommended by a variety of sources- often their schools. They were picked as recognition for specific academic or athletic achievements, or because of their volunteer efforts.
"Our Officers look forward to CopShop every year," says Ottawa Police Service's Chief Charles Bordeleau. "It is a great opportunity for our officers to spend time with the kids and give back to the communities we work in every day."
The event started in Halifax in 2005 and has since spread to seven shopping centres across Canada. This is the sixth year for CopShop at Carlingwood Mall.
