By Police1 Staff
Lending a helping hand is part of the job for officers of the law — but their daily good deeds rarely make headlines. With our new series, we aim to bring some much-deserved attention to the little things our officers do for our communities every day. Check out this week’s round-up of inspiring stories from around the country.
1. Viral photo of Ill. cop’s good deed results in housing for homeless man
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MORRISON, Ill. – After a photo of a police sergeant buying lunch for a homeless man went viral, the man was able to find a home, Good Morning America reported.
Local man Alex Fischbach witnessed Sergeant George Depuy handing money to a homeless man for lunch and decided to take a photo. After the photo was posted on Facebook, the man was brought to a shelter by a local pastor and was able to find a safe place to sleep.
“With everyone sharing the original post, it helped this man be noticed and placed somewhere he could stay,” Fischbach told the news site. “It was incredible to see something so compassionate happen right in front of my eyes. It was just a simple reminder that not all cops are bad.”
Sergeant Depuy declined to be interviewed by the media but the sheriff’s office told GMA he was just doing his job.
2. Dog leads Mass. officer to canine companion trapped, needing rescue
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ORANGE, Mass. – Police rescued a dog entangled in undergrowth after another dog approached the officers and led them down the icy embankment where the canine’s companion was trapped, according to Associated Press.
The trapped dog was then transported to a vet for treatment.
“Apparently, any dog in the right circumstances can turn into Lassie,” the department wrote on their Facebook page, according to the report.
3. San Francisco police pay for homeless mother, autistic son’s hotel room
SAN FRANCISCO – Officers helped a stranded woman and her son find a hotel after they were turned away from shelters, KTVU reported.
The woman had travelled from another city after being evicted from her apartment, police told the news site. She was supposed to stay with a friend but couldn’t get ahold of her once she arrived in San Francisco.
The woman and her autistic 15-year-old son were turned away from multiple shelters that all cited their inability to accommodate minors with disabilities.
An officer who was called to one of the shelters paid for a room at the Hilton Hotel for two nights for the pair. A group of officers spent $400 for the hotel and groceries for the family.
“Who knows where they could’ve ended up, but when we got the call our goal was — we’re not going to have them end up on the street,” Officer Brian Kneuker told KTVU.
4. Video: Calif. police surprise 6-year-old girl who lost mom on Christmas
We need your help!!The Livermore Police Department, The Livermore Police Officer’s Association, and The Livermore...
Posted by Livermore Police Department on Tuesday, December 29, 2015
LIVERMORE, Calif. – Police and firefighters in Livermore came to the aid of a 6-year-old girl who lost her mother on Christmas day, according to ABC7.
The first responders delivered gifts to the young girl in the wake of her tragic loss in an act of kindness caught on camera.
“What can I say? This was a 6-year-old girl who the first words out of her mouth were ‘Santa didn’t come because mommy wouldn’t wake up.’ It immediately broke my heart,” Livermore Police Officer Dave Morris told ABC7.
5. San Francisco police recruit comes to rescue of 2-month-old boy
SAN FRANCISCO — A San Francisco Police Department recruit saved the life of an infant who stopped breathing, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
With two weeks left until he graduated from the academy, Officer Ricky Williams was at a shopping mall when he used CPR for the first time ever after witnessing a woman holding her unresponsive child.
“I kind of just fell back on my training that I got here at the academy,” Williams told the publication. “They tell us that all the time. In times of stress, high stress situations, you’re going to have your training to fall back on.”
The boy was revived and transported to a local hospital for further treatment.
““San Leandro P.D. actually told me, ‘Good job, man. This is what police work is all about,’” the officer told the San Francisco Chronicle. “That gave me a good feeling inside. ... I’m happy that I chose this field.”