The Kindness This Detroit Officer Showed For a Homeless Man Did Not Go Unnoticed
by Kris Hauser
While on duty, Detroit Police Officer Jeremy Thomas witnessed a woman and her daughter give a homeless man a handout of shaving cream, a disposable razor, and a bottle of water.
The man then attempted to shave, using rainwater from a downspout and then rinsing his razor in a puddle. Without a mirror, he managed to get shaving cream on his coat, hands, face, and in his eyes.
Seeing his struggle, Officer Thomas approached the man. Startling him, the man quickly told Officer Thomas he would leave. Officer Thomas explained to the man that he didn’t have to leave, but instead he wanted to help him shave.
This random act of kindness was witnessed by Jill Metiva Schafer and her husband as they were exiting Comerica Park across the street. Jill was so captivated by what she saw that she impulsively took out her camera and snapped a couple of pictures.
Jill shared the pictures on Facebook with a caption that read, “What a Great Detroit Cop!! This is right outside Comerica Park. The game was a rainout but this officer went way above and beyond to help this man shave!!” She also stated that she decided to take the pictures because she thought it was such a “kind, unselfish thing for an officer to do.” She then added, “With all the negativity that police officers get, I wanted to show them in a positive light.”
Stanley Nelson, the man that Officer Thomas helped, later stated, “that was beautiful what he did and God is gonna bless him for doing that for me because he didn’t have to do that. What he did for me was alright, I really appreciate that because you know, I’m going through my thing and feel bad about myself, you know, but I’m gonna be alright.”
Officer Thomas was quoted as saying, “just know that this could be you at any day. Nobody is better than the other person. They may be in a better position in life, but use that opportunity to take care of somebody else when you can.”
Officer Jeremy Thomas joined the Detroit Police Department three years ago. When asked why he joined the police department he said, “Just the need to help people. I was a volunteer firefighter before this, and it’s just been something I like to do, help people.”
Thank you, Officer Thomas, for helping a man in need, and boosting his self-esteem.
The Law Enforcement Charitable Foundation’s mission is to bridge the gap between the police and communities. The above story is a perfect example of this. We are all human and just trying to survive in this crazy world. When we see law enforcement officials going that extra mile, it really helps people realize that they are ordinary people like you and me. Kindness should be a given, however, we all know that’s not always the case. So when there are positive stories to be told, especially when it comes to our men and women in blue and their communities, we are proud to share them. Stories of kindness and of going above and beyond happen all time. They just don’t always get the attention they are so deserving of.
We want to thank all of you who put your lives on the line each and every day to keep our communities safe. We also want to say thank you to those who go above and beyond the call of duty. The impact you are making on others is greater than you think. God Bless and may He protect each and every one of you!