It’s a sad fact that in today’s society, people only see the police when they’re in the middle of a crisis or when they themselves are pulled over for a traffic infraction or drinking and driving. It can create a negative view of law enforcement in general, and the media doesn’t always help with the perception of police either.
News reports on TV, radio, and in newspapers will often cover bad news before they cover good news, and police are part of this coverage because they’re required to be present when these negative situations unfold. Part of their daily job is to put their lives on the line at standoffs, ask people to submit to breathalyzer tests, and contacting families after drunk driving crashes.
But if you do a little digging and look beyond the media coverage, you’ll see that the police also enjoy doing a lot of heartwarming things as often as they can. Simple random acts of kindness that don’t get media coverage are part of a normal day for a police officer – from picking up teddy bears on the highway and finding the owner, taking care of injured animals, and buying food or providing clothing for cold and hungry people.
One of the best stories about police taking time out of their day to give to others comes from the Lowell Police Department in Michigan. A few police officers got together and began stopping drivers for minor traffic infractions. They pulled over 50 people total, and instead of issuing tickets or performing breathalyzer tests, they asked them what they wanted for Christmas. This is what happened next.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlnxajQrL8w]
Yes, a police officer’s job is to arrest people who are breaking the law, and that takes up most of their time, but it’s always nice to see the other positive side of law enforcement, especially during the holidays.