OAKLAND, Calif. (KCBS RADIO) – If your kids are climbing the walls waiting for December 25th, you may want to take them to Oakland Police Department headquarters this morning for some pre-Christmas cheer.
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The OPD is hosting kids and families at 455 7th St. in an attempt to build community.
Oakland police headquarters can be intimidating — it's a fortified, multi-story building surrounded by police cars in downtown Oakland — but today will definitely be different.
Hundreds of toys have been stacked up in a winter wonderland, waiting to be given away to families in the first-ever Toys For the Town celebration, featuring free food, games and Santa.
"Santa Claus will be here to take photos along with Mrs. Claus and then we’ll also have resource booths from various city departments," Officer Kim Armstead told KCBS Radio.
The holiday celebration began at 10 a.m. Thursday morning and will last until 4 p.m. The only requirement is that children must be present to receive a free gift.
Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong asked that all members of his department donate at least one toy. "It's an opportunity for our community members to see who our officers truly are, how much they care about this community and how they want to see our kids and our community have a happy holiday," he said.
Armstrong plans for the Toys For the Town to be an annual tradition, "as long as I'm chief here it will be," he said.
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