A Laconia police officer

[Jim Johnson]

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Officer%27s+caring+spurs+%242%2c500+gift+to+food+bank&articleId=758008d8-56bb-4c5c-b3e2-851ff2f4af87

Officer's caring spurs $2,500 gift to food bank

By GARRY RAYNO
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
11 hours, 28 minutes ago


LACONIA – A Laconia police officer who paid for a hungry man's stolen sandwiches rather than arrest him was honored yesterday.

Officer Jeffrey Wholley's kindness was rewarded yesterday by Cumberland Farms President Ari Haseotes, who contributed $1,000 to the Laconia Police Relief Fund and $2,500 to the New Hampshire Food Bank. The store also provided lunch for the city's Salvation Army clients.

In January, Wholley was called to a Cumberland Farms store at 177 Union Ave. after a man stole four sandwiches. When the man said he stole the food because he was hungry, Wholley returned to the store, paid $9.16 for the sandwiches and asked the store not to press charges. No charges were filed.

Yesterday, Wholley said he has known the person for several years and knows his situation. He's basically homeless, bounces around from friend to friend and has no job, he said.

"I went back and purchased food for him so he could have something to eat," he said. "I would do it again because he was sincere about it. The truly sincere people, I have no problem helping out at all."

Wholley has been on the Laconia force for 10 years and is currently a master patrolman, working the 4 p.m.-to-midnight shift.
090307A1COP_25px (COURTESY)

Cumberland Farms President Ari Haseotes, Laconia police Officer Jeffery Wholley and Chief Michael Moyer pose at yesterday's presentation. (COURTESY)

Laconia has a program called Problem Oriented Policing, which acknowledges that many crimes can be rooted in desperation from hunger and homelessness.

Wholley said the philosophy is similar to community policing. "It's a different way of addressing issues facing communities," he noted.

Capt. William Clary said one of the projects growing out of the program involves assisting homeless people in the city. He said while homelessness it not a big problem in the city, it is a problem like it is in other communities.

"Our homeless shelter is filled most of the time," Clary said.

He said it was nice Wholley was recognized, and he noted other officers have also done similar acts over the years.

About 35 people attended the ceremony at the Cumberland Farms store.

[neggy]

nice to see there is at least one good cop left.

I hope he shows as much compassion for everyone he deals with while in uniform

[Free libertarian]

The guy must have been really hungry, those Cumberland Farm's sandwiches are not exactly gourmet.
I'm not sure how I feel about the cops largesse. I find it inspiring but I am also suspicious of the motive.  Wouldn't it have been better if Cumberland Farms had given the hungry guy a job?     

[doobie]

Theft is still theft.  Last I heard and taking someone else's property without paying is still theft and should only be performed by the government.

[thinkliberty]

It reminds me of puff pieces in the press about Al Capone and how he would buy milk for poor mothers babies. Never mind he ran an extortion racket... his acts of "charity" with other people's money gained him a lot of support from the people of Chicago. 

[bouncer]

Cops are humans too. Some (many) get callous due to their job difficulty and attitudes towards them, rather than lump them all together we would be better when confronted if our affiliations are discovered to explain what it is  we are about more individual officers would be sympathetic to our cause. I believe most officers are just out to feed their families just like the rest of us. The simple fact is there are people that live to victimize others, they are in the minority but when you meet a cop at 11pm at night alone on a dark highway he or she doesn't know you or your motives maybe you are just a nice person out for a drive or coming home from work or maybe you just left the scene where you murdered your wife. They don't know, I always treat someone how I would want to be treated and usually I'm treated that way in return.

[slave_3646]

I'll go with this being a simple act of kindness. Now if we could only convince this officer to not aggress against his fellow people for victimless 'illegal' activities, we'd be getting somewhere.