Police Officers Repay Kids' Act of Kindness by Replacing Stolen Bicycles
A story out of Clackamas County, Oregon, has been a refreshing reminder that cops and kids can get along well and benefit one another.
When two Clackamas County deputies were out dealing with a situation, they didn’t expect to be greeted shortly afterward by some kindhearted kids.
“Mark and I were having a rough day,” Deputy Steve Funk told KPTV. “We were encountering, let’s just say, some people not being pleasant. Then, all of a sudden, these kids come over and out of nowhere they give us hugs.”
“It was amazing,” Deputy Mark Nikolai said.
But it didn’t end there, and where that initial act of kindness led to was soon posted online.
“Here’s a GREAT story about our deputies going out of their way to replace several stolen bicycles for a very special group of kids,” the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office shared on Sept. 26.
The post recounted how the two deputies were having a rough day when the band of boys approached them.
“To their surprise, the kids didn’t ask for stickers — they asked for hugs. These two grown men melted.”
“The deputies also learned the children’s bicycles had been stolen. At briefing, the deputies told their partners that they planned to buy the three kids replacement bicycles and surprise them after school.”
“The other deputies on the shift wanted to help out — so they immediately offered to pitch in,” the post continued.
After a trip to Fred Meyer (which graciously discounted prices for this occasion) and three bicycle purchases later, the deputies took the bikes — along with helmets, of course — to their new little friends, who were reportedly ecstatic and rushed the two officers.
“I was joking around saying it was the safest law enforcement ambush we’ve ever seen, and we loved it,” Funk said.
“Our deputies make a positive difference in our community every day,” the post concluded. “You don’t always hear about it, but these deputies have big hearts under their badges.”
“I like the wheels,” Brandon Jenkins, 9, told reporters. “Clackamas County sheriffs are the best.”
“Thank you deputies!” Leah Estes Jenkins, mother to two of the boys who got bikes, commented on the video posted by the sheriff’s office. “Our family is eternally grateful for your service to our community, your generosity, and for the impact you had on our family.”
“With all of the negativity out there, I have always encouraged my children to be kind and compassionate because you never know what people are struggling with,” she concluded. “This has impacted our family in so many ways and I just can not thank you enough!”
“You can’t put a value on that, for helping a kid, it was great,” Nikolai said.
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