Redding Police say “Operation Blue Santa” will not happen this year. Since 1991, the Redding Peace Officers Association and Redding Police Department has visited Redding families and children to provide gifts and other holiday cheer by the Blue Santa Team. The packages were delivered right before Christmas by the blue-clad Santa Clause with a trailer full of gifts, accompanied by other officers and volunteers. The team helped individual families and also visited the kids staying at One Safe Place and in the Mercy Hospital Pediatrics Ward. If they got enough donations, they also give candy-filled stockings and stuffed animals to almost any kid they happened to meet along the way. On Thursday the Peace Officers Association announced that Operation Blue Santa is on hold. No reason was given, but they say they hope to be back next year.
-Steve Gibson