Police officers are often stereotyped due to all of the negative reports highlighting incidents involving alleged brutality and excessive force. In most cases, local citizens are often on pins and needles when they come in contact with police officers. However, one woman’s recent observance of a police officer shows that there are still good cops in the world. Now, his kind gesture has gone viral.
According to the Daily Mail , Sergeant B. Hagarty , a 35-year veteran with the Chicago Police Department, recently stopped by Chipotle for lunch where he noticed a homeless man reportedly searching for food in the trash bins outside. After learning of the man’s misfortune, he decided to buy him lunch from the Mexican eatery.
What he didn’t know was that a restaurant patron named Rachel Mitchell witnessed his kind gesture. Mitchell was touched by Sgt. Hagarty’s generosity toward the homeless man, and she decided to snap a couple of photos of the kind act and share them with the world via Facebook.
“Touched my heart so much, with all the cr** police are getting these days it reminds me there’s so much more good out there than anyone ever wants to give credit,” Mitchell wrote via Facebook. “As he walked out a young lady approached him and told him that he had made her day. Sergeant Hagarty said thank you and walked out. Sergeant Hagarty thinks that might be who posted his pics on [Facebook]. If that is you, thank you. Sergeant Hagarty will retire before the end of the year and will be missed. Sergeant Hagarty we thank you for leading the Chicago Police Department by example.”
I have personally witnessed his acts of kindness to those in need. Kudos to Sgt. Hagarty! https://t.co/iKtnrW1Q99
— James Cappleman (@JamesCappleman) September 6, 2015
Great story about Sgt. Hagarty with @Chicago_Police Full story here: https://t.co/YpMpBmJyxR #OfficersLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/EXB4XTfQK1
— LEO Alert (@LEO_Alert) September 5, 2015
#Finest of Us – 019thDistrict Sgt.Hagarty–Leading by Example @ChicagoCAPS19 http://t.co/MyF9lCCRtT pic.twitter.com/AJYqNauD52
— Chicago Police (@Chicago_Police) September 5, 2015
The photos immediately caught the attention of hundreds of Facebook users who have also commended Sgt. Hagarty for his efforts. The Chicago Police Department also applauded Sgt. Hagarty and shared details about his reaction to Mitchell’s post.
“He saw a young man “dumpster diving” so he motioned for him to come in. He then reluctantly said, you know the rest. He did not think he had done anything out of the ordinary. He did not want to brag about what he had done. As he walked out a young lady approached him and told him that he had made her day. Sergeant Hagarty said thank you and walked out. Sergeant Hagarty thinks that might be who posted his pics on FB. If that is you… thank you…”
After 35 years of service, the Chicago Police Department also announced that Sgt. Hagarty plans to retire at the end of the year. The department has formally thanked his for all of his years of hard work, dedication, and ability to “lead by example.”
[Image via Facebook]
