Cop Stops Writing Panhandling Vagrant A Ticket, Orders Him Into Cruiser

a cop was going to give a familiar vagrant a ticket for panhandling so he asked for his ID when the conversation took an unexpected turn the officer ordered the man into his Cruiser the homeless man was shocked to see where he was going Deputy Jacob swalwell with the Alama County Sheriff's Office knew he had to issue a ticket after he saw an older man panhandling for money along one of Hayward California's busiest freeway off ramps as swalwell explained to ABC 7 he had seen the same guy on out there begging for money for a couple of years and it presented a problem it's a safety issue and that was more of a concern than the panhandling swall well explained so planning to write the man a ticket he approached and asked for ID the 66-year-old man identified himself as Michael Myers and said he was a lifelong Alam County resident but he didn't have an ID to show the deputy with the conversation taking an unexpected turn swell was about to learn a whole lot more about this panhandling vagrant although he had intended to write a ticket what the deputy discovered had him ordering Michael who goes by Mick into his Cruiser instead got to know him pretty quickly and realize that a citation is not what this man needs swell said a bad accident had left Mick a former truck driver disabled after breaking his back he spent a year in a wheelchair and another on crutches he couldn't drive a truck anymore but he tried to return to work first he attempted manufacturing then food service but being on his feet and lifting caused too much pain when you have a serious broken back injury you never really recover from it Mick said Mick pan handled on busy city corners to survive developing a routine working his way around the intersection he gathered $5 to $10 just enough to get a meal then he walked to a nearby McDonald's or Wendy's and used the money to get a bite to eat he does it three times a day swalwell said heun's not panhandling for alcohol or drugs he's panhandling to stay alive realiz I ing that begging for money and eating fast food had become mix's daily existence swell asked him one simple question the answer changed both their lives what's it going to take to get you off the street I said well a government check would do it but I can't seem to get one Mick revealed recalling his conversation with the deputy Mick needed a state-issued ID to get benefits and as swalwell already knew the man didn't have one in fact Mick hadn't had an ID in years not since he quit driving truck luckily swall well knew what to do after telling Mick to get in his Cruiser he drove him to the DMV but there they encountered another hurdle I don't exist anymore Mick said after receiving shocking news from the Department of Motor Vehicles I'm no longer in the system according to the DMV the man didn't exist and that presented A new challenge in getting Mick off the streets luckily the kind-hearted Deputy was undeterred to get a California ID Mick needed proof of residency and a birth certificate items that aren't easily obtained when someone lives lives on the streets what's more Mick never even knew his biological parents but swell wasn't giving up after obtaining a letter from a church attesting that Mick resides in Hayward they got a copy of his birth certificate from Highland Hospital where he was born that letter came with a surprise I get my birth certificate and it says my name is Gordon Michael Myers Mick recalled still shocked about the first name he never knew he had finally after three trips to the DMV California issued Gordon Michael Myers a senior citizen ID which he held up proudly for a picture standing next to Deputy swell the photo was posted on Facebook where it went viral as the officer was praised for going above and beyond never giving up during all the obstacles the two men faced I walked in McDonald's to eat breakfast and the guys I usually sit with go hey you're famous man and whipped out his phone and there I am on his phone said Mick who was finally one step closer to getting the Social Security benefits he desperately needed and deserved D after putting in years of work behind the wheel of his truck Mick isn't the only one who benefited from the incident it's taught me to get to know people better swalwell said it's a lesson the Sheriff's Office wants everyone officer to learn according to Sergeant Ray Kelly who said I think we're going to bring it to all our trainings and say hey if you have the ability to do something like this let's go ahead and do it we hope that other officers who hear mix's story will follow swalwell's lead but you don't have to be in law enforcement to be inspired by the deputies kindness all anyone has to do is heed six words Mick said about swalwell and follow suit when given the opportunity he treated me like a friend Mick said such a simple gesture can change someone's life

Channel: DailyDose

Views: 676

Keywords: Dailydose, dailydose stories, Cop Stops, Writing Panhandling, Vagrant A Ticket, Orders Him, Into Cruiser, Cop Stops Writing Panhandling Vagrant A Ticket, Orders Him Into Cruiser

Id: XXVuGaQ-Lp0

Length: 4min 43sec (283 seconds)

Published: Mon May 06 2024