LILLINGTON, N.C. -- The Harnett County Sheriff's Office will be doing their Shop with a Sheriff program a little bit differently in 2019.

Since 2013, about 20 kids receive a $300 Walmart gift card to spend how they want. Sheriff Wayne Coats said one of his deputies went to purchase more than $6,000 in gift cards as usual. He says Walmart employees denied the purchase-- claiming the policy changed to only allow up to $1,000 in gift cards.

Now deputies and the kids will be shopping somewhere else.

"We reached out to another store which happened to be Target in Holly Springs and they were very accommodating," Coats said. "The manager up there, he was scheduled to work that morning and then be off. He's going to come back up that Friday night and meet and greet these kids."

Spectrum News reached out to Walmart who didn't respond to our questions by the time the story aired.

The kids will meet Friday, December 20 at the sheriff's office before heading to Target for their shopping spree.