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 and send us your stories of cops being everyday heroes.
1. Wis. officers ‘pay it forward’ to McDonald’s customer
Chief Hardel received an email last night from a person who visits Wausau for business about 50 nights per year and...
Posted by Wausau Police Department on Friday, October 16, 2015
WAUSAU, Wis. — Wausau Police Chief Hardel praised his officers in a Facebook post for their act of “paying it forward” in a McDonald’s drive-thru, CBS 58 reported.
The chief received an email from a man named Bob who was pleasantly surprised when the squad car in front of him paid for his meal. Bob told the chief after a stressful day working past midnight, the officers’ gesture “made a really bad day good.”
“One of the best things about our community is the generosity and kindness shown by so many people who live here,” the chief wrote in a Facebook post. “A small act of kindness like ‘paying it forward’ at a drive though can have a large impact on another person.”
The chief also wrote the department has no idea who the officers are or how many other people have been affected by their gestures, but is happy it left an impression on someone in the community.
2. Ala. trooper buys dinner for homeless man
BESSEMER, Ala. — A woman who captured a state trooper’s act of kindness posted it on Facebook, where it exploded in likes, ABC 3340 reported.
Jenny Reed saw Trooper Justin O’Neal order in a drive-thru, then pull over to let a homeless man out of his backseat. The trooper handed the man the food he just ordered.
“I am in tears right now,” Reed wrote. “I pulled over and told him he was an inspiration and a hero.”
O’Neal told Reed he’d picked up the man on the highway. The man was heading up to North Carolina, but the town of Bessemer was as far as O’Neal could take him.
“It touched my heart to witness this kind act from the State Trooper,” Reed wrote. “I have always had respect for public servants but he just raised the bar.”
O’Neal doesn’t see it that way, he told the news site. When the man told O’Neal he hadn’t eaten in three days, the trooper did what anyone would do.
“As a trooper, our main job is to save lives and protect property,” O’Neal told ABC 3340. “But as a Christian, and as a human being, that’s just the right thing to do.”
The post has garnered over a thousand shares.
3. Ala. police release dramatic dashcam of fire rescue
FLORENCE, Ala. — Florence police released dashcam footage that captured officers going into a burning home and pulling a man and his four dogs to safety, Waay TV reported.
The officers responded to a welfare check on Oct. 13 after neighbors reported someone had run into a smoke-filled home to save pets.
The smoke made it difficult to go inside, so Officers Michael South, Tyler Melton, Tyler Oliver and Michael Price took turns going into the house.
Once they found the man and four dogs, the officers made a chain by holding hands to help guide themselves through the smoke and back to the front door of the house.
Sgt. Randal Holt performed first aid until firefighters and EMS arrived. The officers are credited with saving the lives of those inside the house.
“If it were another minute or two he wouldn’t be around. So they truly did save his life,” said Philip Barton, the owner of the home.
4. La. officer comforts lost boy
CROWLEY, La. — When Officer David Taylor was patrolling a local festival, he encountered a lost boy in distress, ABC News reported.
The officer picked up the boy and comforted him until his mother showed up.
“He was extremely upset. I put him on my shoulders to see if he would be able to see his parents,” Taylor told ABC. “He started to fall asleep, and I moved him down to my chest.”
The photo made its way to Facebook and has been liked over 5,000 times.
Crowley told ABC News he doesn’t like the attention he’s been getting because he was just doing his job.
“What I was doing is nothing different from the rest of our law enforcement colleagues. The only difference is that someone took a photo of me,” Taylor said to the publication. “If it shines a true light on what police officers do and can do, then [this attention] is a good thing.”
5. Ga. cop praised after saving small dog’s life
SMYRNA, Ga. — A civilian and an officer went above and beyond to help a small dog in need, FOX 5 reported.
Smyrna resident Asia Callier saw the dog on the side of the road while driving home from the supermarket. She immediately called 911 after noticing the pup had open sores on his neck and chest.
Officer Haygood responded to the call, calmed the dog and wrapped him in a small blanket, keeping him warm until he fell asleep in the officer’s hand.
“I’m thankful for this kind hearted Smyrna officer that not only swayed the dog from hiding under my car, but stayed and cared for him while we waited for over an hour for Cobb County Animal Control,” Callier told the publication. “Good cops don’t get recognized enough.”
Unfortunately, the dog died due to its injuries.