Police officers have an exceptionally stressful job. They respond to dispatch calls day after day without any idea of what they might be walking into, and sometimes become targets of revenge after testifying in court or writing tickets. People are unpredictable and can be dangerous, but that potential is what they signed up for. Still, despite all the uncertainty and stress they face, many officers go out of their way to go above and beyond for their communities.
Here are just some of the amazing things officers do for the people in their communities.
1. They help people in need
Many officers take the time to help people in need, and sometimes it’s a big deal. For instance, one police officer from Colorado responded to a welfare check for two little girls. When she arrived, she noticed the electricity had been shut off and the family didn’t have any food. She went out and bought them some dinner, helped them sign up for free local meals, and filled up their gas tank so they could drive to get those meals.
2. They make kids happy
There have been quite a few stories in the news about kids who invite their classmates to a birthday party, but nobody shows up and someone ends up saving the day. In some cases, that hero has been a police officer.
3. They help people with rides
Just because someone has a criminal conviction doesn’t mean they can’t be a reliable employee, but many people with a record struggle to get hired. In New York, after applying to jobs for years, one man with a record was able to get a job interview, but he showed up to the wrong location.
A police officer saw that he was in distress and asked him what was wrong. He asked the officer for directions to get to where his interview was to take place, and it was six miles away. The officer gave him a ride to the interview and he got the job.
4. They offer support when it’s needed
There are countless stories of police officers who stop to help citizens on the side of the road for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes they help people change a tire, push their car off the road to safety, or make a call for someone who is stranded.
In this case, a Virginia state trooper stopped to check on a motorist who was trying to change a tire and when it wasn’t working, he stayed with the man to keep him company for hours until around 1:00 a.m. while they waited for AAA to come tow his car.
Police officers have a good sense for when someone needs help, and most of the time, if they aren’t needed for an emergency, they will stop to find out what’s going on and see if they can help.
5. They perform acts of kindness
Police officers regularly perform acts of kindness for everyone, including kids and the elderly. For instance, when one woman’s mailbox was completely destroyed, an officer replaced the box for her on his own dime.
It’s not hard to find an endless supply of heartwarming stories of police officers doing amazing things for people in their communities. They buy kids toys, keep young kids calm while they discuss matters with their parents, and literally save people’s lives.
Police officers do wonderful things for their communities
Law enforcement officers do a lot of good, and it’s heart-warming to hear about all the people they go out of their way to help. Unfortunately, many people carry anti-police sentiment and don’t realize all the wonderful contributions police officers make to their communities. Thanks to The National Police Association (NPA), that’s turning around.
The NPA is a nonprofit organization that dissolves the anti-police sentiment in communities through public outreach and getting involved in court cases that have the potential to impact communities. One of their goals is to raise awareness regarding the positive things police do for society and how much we really need law enforcement officers to keep crime rates low. Through their continual efforts, the NPA is repairing the rapport between police and citizens one community at a time so that officers are finally respected rather than feared.