I've heard it said you can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his mother and the way he treats children. If that's true, the Summerville Police Department has some mighty fine officers. I witnessed them assist a mentally challenged teen this morning and they were nothing short of amazing.
I stopped at the BP gas station on Central Avenue on my way to work, and was surprised to find three police cars in the lot. It turned out a young teenage girl was riding her bike on Central Avenue without her mother's knowledge. The girl, who we guessed was around 14 years old, was apparently mentally handicapped, and her mother didn't realize she was gone. What could have resulted in tragedy ended happily for the girl because the officers were so gentle and kind to her.
They were patient and caring, and spoke to her as if nothing was wrong. Instead they took their time, reached her mother by phone and then one officer took out his wallet and bought her breakfast promising “she could have it when she got home.” I suspect that wasn’t the first time he’d done that or some other gesture of kindness in the line of duty.
That kind of care and human compassion doesn't come from training or education. Rather, it comes from the soul and demonstrates character seldom seen these days.
I wish I knew the names of the officers so I could give them the credit they so richly deserve. They give real meaning to community service, and I hope their supervisors recognize their contributions and value to the community.
Sincerely,
Linda W. Weber
Barberry Street
Summerville