East Bay police play Santa for low-income families

RICHMOND, Calif. (KGO) -- Deputies from the Contra Costa Sheriff's Department walked the aisles of the Richmond Walmart store, helping kids from low-income families buy gifts for their families.

Eighteen kids, picked from an after-school program, took part in the shopping spree.

Even though they weren't buying gifts for themselves, they were not being left off Santa's list.

"We get a bunch of the kids together and we take them out and let them shop for their family. And we've already done our shopping for them. Gifts are wrapped. They don't know what they are though," Deputy Samuel Noble said.

Most of the money comes from donations, but officers also chipped in out of their own pocket to buy the gifts.