In such a dark, twisted world, we sometimes forget that good still exists.
But people have a way of reminding us of the kindness humanity seemingly lost long ago — people like Christopher Cartwright and Jason Velez, police officers in Mount Vernon, New York.
Cartwright and Velez were dispatched to a local Dollar Tree store to apprehend a possible shoplifter on May 1, but their next move proved shocking to everyone.
The Mount Vernon Police Department’s Facebook video taken from one officer’s body camera shows the officers approaching the shoplifting suspect while he was still in the store.
They soon learned their person of interest was no typical criminal, but rather a homeless man looking for socks.
Cartwright spoke with the store’s manager and determined the best outcome for the situation wouldn’t be what was initially expected.
In a gesture of compassion, he agreed to purchase $15 worth of socks for the suspect instead of making an arrest.
Velez also advised the man to “respond to Police Headquarters and he could get assistance with possibly getting some services he may be in need of,” according to the department’s post.
The store manager also asked that the man tell her if he ever needs help again.
The man thanked them for their kindness before they parted ways.
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We know times are tough for many people, especially in light of the economic toll of the pandemic lockdowns.
What these officers and the store manager did proves that some people in our world still choose to exercise kindness toward those who are less fortunate.
Our nation’s men and women in blue work hard to protect the innocent and uphold the law each day.
But Cartwright and Velez — like so many individuals in law enforcement — went a step beyond, choosing to understand why the suspect did what he did instead of criminalizing him for his actions performed out of need.
Their good deeds have not gone unnoticed.
The leftist media wants us to forget that most officers fulfill their duty with good intentions, collectively painting them as brutal, racist and power-hungry.
But we shouldn’t allow the actions of a few to taint the reputation of law enforcement as a whole.
After all, these officers reminded us that the leftist narrative doesn’t fit.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.