Some of San Diego’s finest treated 30 lucky elementary school students to a back-to-school shopping spree at Target and post shopping barbeque Tuesday.
The outing was the first True Blue Buddies event, which pairs students with school police officers.
The third, fourth, and fifth graders all attend Walker Elementary School in Mira Mesa, and were specially selected based on need said Rochell Dawes principal of Walker Elementary.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for them to have the experience most other students have… and it’s a perfect start to the school year,” said Dawes.
Each student received a $100 gift card for new clothes and shoes for the new year.
“It’s important for our students to learn at a very young age that police are someone you can turn to,” said Reuben Littlejohn, Chief of Police San Diego Unified School District.
Kris Needham, one of the students who participated, was especially excited because he wants to be a police officer when he grows up. “It’s awesome cause I…get to hang out with a police officer and I got to hear the police sirens and see them,” Needham explained while looking for a uniform to wear for his new role in safety patrol.
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The event was supported by the district's Children and Youth in Transition program and the Mira Mesa Target store team.
They plan to expand the True Blue Buddies program to other schools in the future.
