Posted on 02/05/2010 9:24:24 PM PST by ellery
Bozeman Police Officer Marek Ziegler was called to Van’s IGA last Friday night to check on a shoplifting report.
The 33-year-old officer has been on the Bozeman force for three years. He is a K-9 handler and works nights, from about 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
When he got to the grocery store on North Seventh Avenue, employees told Ziegler that a 32-year-old man had stuffed food and “pens, pencils, maybe markers, things for his kids” into his coat.
The officer arrested the man, cited him for theft and then released him.
But the story didn’t end there.
Ziegler had asked the man why he had been stealing.
“He was really upset,” Ziegler said this week. “Basically, he told me he’s having a hard time and can’t provide the food for his family right now, so that’s why he was stealing.”
Ziegler already had the man’s address, but asked for the man’s phone number.
“I told him, ‘Give me 15 minutes,’ and I went and got him some food.”
Ziegler ran to Wal-Mart, picked up a few frozen pizzas and delivered them to the man’s house.
“Obviously, as a police officer, I have a job to do, but we’re still human, too,” Ziegler said.
When the officer handed over the food, the man shook his hand and thanked him for understanding, Ziegler said.
And then Ziegler kept the story to himself.
However, a Chronicle reporter was at the 911 dispatch center that night. She overheard tidbits of the officer’s report that he was going to buy the man some food. The Chronicle sought out the story. Ziegler wasn’t seeking attention for his good deed.
“These guys, they just don’t really brag about things like that,” Acting Police Chief Marty Kent said. “It wouldn’t surprise me that he wouldn’t say anything.”
Ziegler shrugged off the idea that he had done something out of the ordinary.
“It’s just what we do to take care of each other,” he said.
I spend a lot of time protesting (and posting about) the bad behavior that has become all too common among our union police forces.
It’s nice to post one about one of the good guys for a change.
Great story. God Bless.
Great story!
I just hope the food wasn't twinkies.
this is true charity....the kind that Jesus would love.....unsolicited,person to person, done quietly without putting on airs.....
Wonderful story. Thank you for posting it.
With all the food banks, food stamps, welfare, unemployment, church charities, school supply charities, etc etc, this guy thought it was a good idea to steal from the IGA? Want to bet this wasn’t even close to the first time?
99% of stories like this never make the news. But it is nice when 1% squeaks through. Thanks for posting it!
Good poinr - so I checked, having woked in MT once upon a time.
The one food bank in town is out of chow - check their web site.
Maybe you could send them a check, being flush and all
Food Bank
602 Bond St
Bozeman, MT 59715
PHONE NUMBER: (406) 586-7600
Did see a part-time church based outfit trying to help, they could likely use a check as well.
You are always an ass.
Uh huh. And I also volunteered for years for our local food bank. Imagine that.
You’re still an ass.
I have a story.A woman who shops at our thrift store had a coat stealing happen against her husband.The coat was size 3 children’s.The police offered a drive home and then came back with clothes and food for the children.Charges were dropped.
Beats being a naive idiot.
Better yet, have your bud get a hold of these guys:
Salvation Army Bozeman
Bozeman, MT 59715
(406) 586-9051
IF they can’t help, then here’s a backup plan:
http://bozeman.areaconnect.com/churches.htm
ANd if all else fails, the gov’t has:
http://www.nccp.org/profiles/MT_profile_29.html
I second your view.
We need more like him. Heck...I need to be more like him.
Just living up to your name, eh?
Doesn't take a whole lot. Just little things like this cop did. Sometimes I get taken by a professional panhandler but in the grand scheme of things it's not worth the dollar saved to prove myself right :-)
One time in a grocery in Bellevue, WA, I was behind a young girl in the checkout just before closing time. She had a can of baby formula and a gallon of milk. She wrote a check and it didn't get accepted.
The clerk did nothing more than stare at her and I watched as disbelief spread across her face and tears welled-up in her eyes.
She started to put her wallet back in her purse to leave when I piped-up and told her I'd "lend" her the $10.00 she needed to pay for the goods. Saying that I was in that store all the time (which was a lie I was working a temp project in town) I told her to just pay me next time she saw me. You'd think she'd won the lottery.
I've done it since then but only a dollar here or there. The $10 spot was my largest "instant" donation :-) Not tooting my own horn just saying it doesn't take a lot to put a smile on someone's face.
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