St. Paul police officers will now be able to offer up a plush stuffed puppy, bear or bumblebee to children they come across on their beat thanks to a local Boy Scout.

When Elliot Helmer set out to complete the project, as part of his efforts to become an Eagle Scout, the St. Paul 17-year-old didn’t have a set number of animals he hoped to collect, and he was pleasantly surprised by the results.

“The fact that it was over 1,000 is really awesome,” he said. “I hope it can provide comfort to children in traumatic situations and help break the ice when they are dealing with police officers.”

After he came up with the idea, Helmer contacted Sgt. Amy Rahlf of the police department’s community engagement unit and proposed the project.

Along with helping comfort children in traumatic situations, the animals also foster a positive interaction with the police department, she said.

Helmer began collecting the stuffed animals Feb. 16 through two drives at the Centennial United Methodist church and one at the St. Anthony Park Elementary School, both located in his St. Anthony Park community.

As the donations poured in, he ended up storing the stuffed animals in about 60 giant trash bags in his bedroom.

On Sunday, along with his father, Scout leader and assistant troop master, the toys were delivered to the St. Paul Police Department via three large vehicles.