Travis Harvey, left, offers a bow to Jessica Mercado while Anna Johnson keeps wrapping gifts during Shop with a Cop on Dec. 13, 2024.

Darrell Reynolds has quite the daunting Christmas shopping dilemma.

But unlike most 9-year-olds, he has a sheriff’s deputy to offer advice.

And to steer his shopping cart through narrow aisles that in some cases are about as crowded as Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

The toy aisle in particular, although the selection of stuffed animals is pretty popular, too.

Darrell, who lives in Baker City, was one of 31 kids, from second through fourth grades, who congregated at D&B Supply on Friday morning, Dec. 13, to fill out wish lists for themselves and family members.

But the annual Shop with a Cop event, which pairs local youngsters with a police officer or emergency dispatcher, has a value that can’t be measured in dollars.

Or even in stuffed animals.

One young shopper, after getting through his $100 allocation, told his escort, Ed Mercado of the Oregon State Police, that he wished he could buy something for Mercado.

Donations make the event possible, said Sgt. Wayne Chastain of the Baker City Police Department, who coordinates Shop with a Cop. Donations this year totaled $4,517, he said.

Darrell and his partner, Deputy Bryson Allred of the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, had eight or nine people to shop for, including Darrell’s siblings, his dad and his uncle.

Allred kept track of their progress with a list on his cellphone.

The pair, along with half a dozen other teams, crammed into the aisle that features, among other things, remote controlled vehicles.

Darrell picked a truck.

He checked the price, pondered the bite it will extract from his budget, then saw a paper sign taped to the shelf.

He looked up at Allred, smiling.

“30 percent off,” Darrell said.

The truck went into the cart.

It shared space with several stuffed animals, including a dog, a cat, a cow (Holstein, based on the colors), a fox clutching a lollipop, and a creature which resembles an armadillo but which is, Darrell explained, “some kind of dinosaur.”

From the toy aisle Darrell directed Allred to the fishing section.

Darrell plucked a telescoping fishing rod and reel from a display.

“I’m going to want that,” he said.

This launched Darrell into an extended description of family fishing trips that continued until they reach the glittering rows of lures.

There are dozens of types.

Darrell spotted the perfect one, but it was near the top, out of his reach.

Allred solved that problem.

“All right, let’s get it,” he said.

After updating the list and the budget, the pair returned to the toy aisle. Darrell quickly selected a camouflage hunting blind.

That, along with the fishing lure, is for his dad.

“You’re at 95 (dollars),” Allred told Darrell.

They paused briefly at the bins of dog biscuits.

Darrell put three into a plastic bag but then changed his mind.

They headed for the stuffed animal display.

Darrell stopped in front of a cage that held bunnies, although none is present. He told Allred about his own rabbits, including an unfortunate demise that befell one.

Before they reached the stuffed animals, Darrell saw a selection of soft blankets.

This is the perfect choice for one of his siblings.

But the $14 price will put him over budget.

Darrell mulled his options for a minute.

The remote-controlled truck, although desirable, will have to go back.

But the savings leaves Darrell room for one more stuffed animal.

His list complete, he directed Allred toward the busy checkout lines.

Allred, who has worked for the sheriff’s office for 15 months, said Shop with a Cop is the first community event he’s participated in.

“I like getting out, being a good role model,” he said.

He looks at Darrell.

“Great kid.”

After bagging the gifts, the kids boarded a Community Connection bus for a ride back to where they started, the Family Life Center at the Baker City Church of the Nazarene.

Inside the gym, members of the FFA programs at Baker and Pine Eagle high schools, and members of Baker’s National Honor Society chapter, helped the police officers, and the young shoppers, wrap their gifts.

Allred handled the scissors and wrapping paper and Darrell taped down the seams and filled out the names on gift tags.