Officer Could Have Just Written A Ticket... He Chose To Do Something Else Entirely

I love it when stories like these come to light. I had to share it as I think all of us here see the other side of some LEO's more than we do this side. They do good things often, but the bad things blaze through the headlines like a pandemic only showing most of the public the despicable side of a sometimes thankless job.

I'm not by any means taking up for those officers that operate on another set of rules, or get into the job because they are power hungry bullies. Those need to be dealt with swiftly and harshly IMO.

I am talking about those who have the same honor, integrity, and compassion this officer has shown a member of his community in an attempt to help instead of hinder.

Once in a while you do run across a story like this and it reminds you that there are still good officers left who know how to protect and serve and take pride in doing so.

In this photo provided by Emmett Township, Mich., Department of Public Safety is Officer Ben Hall. Hall said was on patrol Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 when he stopped a vehicle Alexis DeLorenzo was driving following a report of an unsecured young child inside.

Instead of ticketing DeLorenzo, who told him that she had fallen on tough times, Hall asked her to meet him at a local store where he bought a booster seat for her 5-year-old daughter.

"A ticket doesn't solve the situation," Hall told WXMI-TV "What solves it is the child being in the booster seat like she should be. It was the easiest 50 bucks I ever spent."

"I was in a spot where I could help her," Hall said.

DeLorenzo said she knew that they could have been ticketed, but instead, Hall told her to meet him at a Wal-Mart, where he bought her the seat.

"It changed my life," DeLorenzo said. "I'm never going to forget him. And neither will my daughter.

Having fallen on rough times at a few points in my life, I can say with some certainty that this lady will indeed always be thankful for what this officer did for her and the safety of her daughter. Sometimes in your life when you have been beaten down, battered, and worn out... all it takes is something like this to help you struggle along a little further until better days come around.

You can read more here: www.sfgate.com...

Not only the good officer, but a citizen who handled it responsibly. Screaming, yelling, putting up a fight doesn't help the situation. That's what causes many of these disputes. Yes sir/m'am no sir/m'am eases the situation better than "Well I pay your salary!".

As someone who opposes the police departments as a whole I'm proud of this officer. Officers like him should be in the media more often, despite police abuse being widespread. S + F

a reply to: Yeahkeepwatchingme

Hey... I posted the story being one who has NEVER EVER gotten pulled over and let go without a ticket. Not EVER. I've never been given a break by any of them so I understand.

I do agree that it's still nice to see others catch a break, and see some officers going above and beyond the call of duty for no other reason than it's the right thing to do.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Sad thing is, such actions I bet take place more often than not, but are not recorded or Youtubed or sent to the local news agency. I still (even after I grow older and wiser about the world) believe there is more good in this world than bad. Maybe naive, but I don't care. I know that people of all walks of life are generally living peacefully and that is a testament to our nation and the lengths we have come as a species.

Disclaimer: I know the world is in turmoil, but it is overall, better than say 100 years ago or even a 1000 years ago. I will take now to live rather than any other period of history I have studied.

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Two weeks ago I was pulled over for the first time ever (25 yrs old). Speeding, went easy. I of course didn't get a break but it was cut and dry and I wasn't willing to argue over something that wouldn't go away anyway (some zero tolerance, your local mason members are watching kind of game).

I know people who've handed cops' backsides back to them, but they were in situations that far exceeded an average traffic stop.

ownbestenemy: If I could I'd go back to the 1950s but it had its cons like today. Man how I wish I could've hung with Ozzie Nelson types. Or Frank Marth, well now I'm just rambling about the 50s.....

How is the lady gonna learn the responsibilities of life if she keeps getting bailed out? That is the problem with liberals, they don't make people take responsibility. The lady endangered the kid and she should get a ticket and have the kid taken from her. These people can't learn unless you show them with force and consequences.

It's a shame that all of the bad cops out there overshadow the good deeds that actually get done by the great ones like this guy.

a reply to: haviahabia

She did indeed break the law, but the officer applied the spirit of the law aptly. Why punish when you can educate and possibly provide for another human being? Is that so bad? Now I fully expect that if this officer encounters this woman again and must apply the law -- that he will do so without the spirit and will do so under the letter.

I don't agree with the forthcoming attention that he is receiving, because like I stated earlier, I believe this happens more often than not.

originally posted by: haviahabia
How is the lady gonna learn the responsibilities of life if she keeps getting bailed out? That is the problem with liberals, they don't make people take responsibility. The lady endangered the kid and she should get a ticket and have the kid taken from her. These people can't learn unless you show them with force and consequences.

You're right. He should have at the very least tazed the mother in the middle of the street and written her a ticket so the child go could for another few weeks/months without a car seat while mom tried to come up with the money to pay off the ticket and still buy a car seat.

Despite whatever circumstances surrounded the mother and the lack of a car seat, what is wrong with helping to ensure the safety of the child??

The child suffers because of the mother? That doesn't really seem fair to me, and it's the exact reason we have laws concerning child abuse, and child neglect.

The mother learning a lesson as you say, should not include the child possibly being hurt just to prove a point. I hope that you can continue in that ivory tower as the views up there must be magnificent. Be sure to not trip and fall out of it because it's a damned long way down and the landing is hella hard when it's your ego that's been fallen on in the process.

Let's see what happens when his partner guns down an innocent man...

My money is on he tows the blue line

a good deed does not a good cop make

How many of his fellow officers he has brought charges against

tell me that and

Then I might believe he's a good cop

Nice story, credit where credit is due. I wish there were more like this!

originally posted by: haviahabia

originally posted by: ownbestenemy

originally posted by: haviahabia
How is the lady gonna learn the responsibilities of life if she keeps getting bailed out? That is the problem with liberals, they don't make people take responsibility. The lady endangered the kid and she should get a ticket and have the kid taken from her. These people can't learn unless you show them with force and consequences.

Now I have to label you as a troll. You know nothing of her live save what is presented here. The officer made a decision to help out. Maybe she has made a living of this, or maybe....just maybe, she received a kind gift of grace.

But you are right...place her child in the hands of the State. Because they are so good at taking care of kids. You are ridiculous and are adding nothing to this post nor this site.

"These people...." Look in the mirror.

She broke the law and officer rewards her? Look who the troll is now

It's not rewarding her. Can the mother fit in the car seat?? Was it custom made for her? Does it go with her outfit? I'm just wondering how a car seat is a reward for a grown woman...

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

This doesn't change the fact that we need to rein in on our judicial system mainly the way police approach law enforcement.

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

This doesn't change the fact that we need to rein in on our judicial system mainly the way police approach law enforcement.

What does this have to do with a positive story? Why must all stories fall back on people's soap-box issues? Why not enjoy the fact that an officer of the law used common sense?

Oh never mind, we must all be enraged 100% of the time as evident by the last few posters here....geesh this site has changed.

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

This doesn't change the fact that we need to rein in on our judicial system mainly the way police approach law enforcement.

As I stated in my OP.... It absolutely does not. I agree 100%. We have HUGE problems that need to be addressed. But we also need to applaud this sort of behavior so they do feel appreciated and not always some kind of murderous leper living amongst society. It is a hard job and it is often a thankless one. Everyone likes to feel appreciated and with the current atmosphere I think most probably feel like... What's the use? Positive reinforcement works in more than just kids and dogs IMO.

But yeah... We do have problems and this doesn't cancel those out by any means.

a reply to: haviahabia

There are two ways to enforce the laws around us.

Spirit of the law, and the letter of the law. Both have their place.

This particular episode the spirit of the law was applied, as it should have been. Tell me, what would the ticket have accomplished? The lady now has a traffic fine to pay, which she obviously can not according to the story. So, four or five months down the road, she's arrested for failure to pay... What happens then?

Instead of a ticket, he spends fifty bucks and makes a little kid safe, and a mother grateful.

The cop did just great, and deserves a pat on the back. A ticket wouldn't have been wrong, but it wouldn't have been right, either.

Kudos to this Law enforcement officer. A peace officer in the finest sense of the term.

a reply to: ownbestenemy

I'll celebrate this hero when he stands up to his fellow officers and stops the violence.

originally posted by: onequestion
a reply to: ownbestenemy

I'll celebrate this hero when he stands up to his fellow officers and stops the violence.

And you know he doesn't because of why? A bleak outlook is understood but you are moving the goal posts...