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November 23, 2024 Giving thanks to the officers who go the extra mile
PERF members, Sometimes this column can be a bit ponderous and filled with policy ideas and recommendations. But this Thanksgiving week I am thinking about the quiet acts of charity and kindness that good cops regularly perform. They don’t always make headlines, but they get at the soul of policing. So, as we approach Thanksgiving, here are 10 stories about cops who made our world a little better. Officer Jose Deschamps, Providence Police Department (RI): A few weeks ago, Providence police officers, led by Officer Deschamps, collected furniture for a single mother whose home needed to be furnished. “Shoutout to the Providence Police Department because they really come through when you need it,” the woman told WPRI. Sergeant Jamie Trently, Archbald Borough Police Department (PA): Sergeant Trently saw a 94-year-old man with a cane attempting to mow his lawn and stepped in to do it for him. “These are things people don’t see often,” Sergeant Trently told WNEP. “We’re there to help people in their time of need, and he was in need, so that’s what we do.” Detective Sam DeGrave, Asheville Police Department (NC): After Hurricane Helene devastated the Asheville region in September, Detective DeGrave, other members of the Asheville Police Department (APD), and volunteers began collecting the family photos they found in the debris. APD has been posting the photos on social media in an effort to reunite residents with their cherished keepsakes. “If it helps people feel some normalcy or some connection to a time and a place before their lives were turned upside down by this disaster, then our purpose here will have been served,” Detective DeGrave told WLOS. Asheville Police Department on Facebook Chief Jamiel Altaheri, Hamtramck Police Department (MI): This summer Chief Altaheri noticed his neighbor’s roof was in very poor condition, so he teamed up with a local contractor to replace it. “It was the best thing that’s happened to me ever,” the neighbor told CBS News Detroit. “And I truly appreciate it, and I tell him and hug him every day to be honest, and it’s been a month later.” Lieutenant Jessica Whitehead, Derby Police Department (KS): Lt. Whitehead responded to a call about a dog attacking and killing a four-year-old autistic child’s therapy pig. Lt. Whitehead researched possible replacements and traveled to Missouri to pick one up and deliver it to the family. “The family had just moved here two to three weeks prior from Oregon; they had just moved to Derby,” Lt. Whitehead told the Derby Informer. “Being new to the area, I kind of wanted to show them what Derby was about.”
Lt. Jessica Whitehead with the therapy pig. Source: Derby Police Department Officer Cody Daniels, Mobile Police Department (AL): In June, Mobile police responded to a call about a man who suffered a heatstroke while mowing his lawn. After the man was transported to the hospital, Officer Daniels finished the mowing. “As we were putting [the lawnmower] inside, we noticed that he still had half of his yard to do, so I just decided to go ahead and finish it for him,” Officer Daniels told FOX 10 Mobile. “That way, when he got home from the hospital, he didn’t come home to a half-cut yard.” Corporal Hunter Willoughby, Miami Township Police Department (OH): Late one night in June, Corporal Willoughby responded to a call about a mother who had run out of formula for her one-week-old baby and couldn’t find any open stores. Corporal Willoughby was able to get the attention of one of the overnight employees at a local grocery store, who sold him formula. “[Corporal Willoughby] does a good job, and he does this kind of stuff all the time,” Miami Township Chief Mike Mills told FOX 19 Cincinnati. “It doesn’t hit the airwaves. It doesn’t hit social media. This is prototypical of him and all the officers here in Miami Township. It makes me proud to be their chief.” Detective Ryan Cramer and Deputy Bill Belanger, Ingham County Sheriff’s Office (MI): Detective Cramer and Deputy Belanger started a charity that provides bikes and helmets to kids in their region who are hard-working, kind, and could use a helping hand. This year Riding Towards Success gave out 60 bikes to local kids, including the children from a family who went through tragedy in recent years. “I want to say thank you so much. This right here brought us together,” the children’s grandfather told FOX 47 Detroit. “It brings joy and smiles. It isn’t going to take away what they lost, but it gave them hope for what they can gain.”
Riding Towards Success on Instagram Officer Frank Forde, Watertown Police Department (MA): This summer Officer Forde responded to a call and met a family who couldn’t afford to replace their broken refrigerator. Officer Forde collected funds from his coworkers to purchase the family a new fridge. “As part of the job, you kind of come across people who could be having the worst day of their lives,” Officer Forde told WBZ Boston. “Sometimes you’re there, and you can really, really help those people.” Officer Abby Lutalo, Colorado School of Mines Police Department: Officer Lutalo saw a car with a sign that read “Bubba needs a kidney” with a phone number. She approached the car and offered to donate one of her kidneys. “It’s hard for me to wrap my head around it,” Roger “Bubba” Morales told FOX 31 Denver. “All of the things I’ve gone through and this is happening, and it’s a miracle. It is a miracle. It’s a gift from God, a special person that’s willing to do this.” I’m sure you all have similar stories about officers in your agency who are going the extra mile to make lives better. This Thanksgiving let’s show our gratitude to these officers and the many others who do so much for their communities. Best, Chuck |
