A traffic officer with the Oakland Police Department will dress up as Santa and hand out toys to children 12 years old and younger in the city Thursday as part of the 12th annual Operation Motor Santa, police said.
The distribution will start at 7 a.m. at the Eastmont Police Substation as the officer will ride a motorcycle and hand out toys to the children.
The substation is located at 2651 73rd Ave. in Oakland. Other officers will accompany the Santa Claus-dressed officer and all will travel from East Oakland to West Oakland to North Oakland. The distribution will end when the officers run out of toys.
"This is a wonderful tradition that brings joy to many families and officers in our community," Oakland Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said in a statement.
More than 500 toys have been donated or purchased for the giveaway, police said.
