A Police Christmas story

A plain-speaking motorist has written an unusual letter of praise describing how a police officer’s act of kindness raised his none-too-high opinion of New Zealand’s finest - and changed his ugly attitude to those less fortunate than himself.

The anonymous writer, calling himself Mr Ticket Collector – a clue, perhaps, to his feelings about Police – wrote to ‘The cop in charge of Orewa Police’.

“I am not the biggest fan of cops…” he starts, explaining that he was at an Orewa café when a “disgusting” homeless man walked past, looking for food scraps.

A police officer approached but passed by and went into a nearby bakery (“obviously has time for food whilst my tickets pay his wages”). When he emerged he got into his car, apparently ignoring the homeless man “who was eating food from a rubbish bin right in front of the cop’s car” and drove away.

“I thought ‘Typical…,” wrote Mr Ticket Collector, who thought the homeless man should be arrested “...but as usual the cops turn a blind eye when it suits them. Probably needs to get back to give out more tickets’.”

A few minutes later, the officer drove back.

“The cop got out and walked over and gave him something then drove off again. I thought ‘Typical, he’s given him a ticket!’ But when I got there he was crying and holding a bag out in front of him.

“That’s when I realised what really happened. The cop has gone and bought a heap more hot food from the bakery and come back and given it to him. WOW! I was wrong - the cop has seen him but, unlike me, done something about it.

“I don’t know where you got that cop from but please we need more like him.

“I wrote this because I keep feeling guilty and how it made me feel about what I didn’t do. I should have done what that cop did, not judge like I did because the man has no home…what that cop did was really kind and has made me think.”

He signed off with a "Merry Christmas" - and added: "Just for the record, I still don't like cops but if (when) I get stopped next I want that cop..."

It emerged the officer in question was Family Violence Supervisor Sergeant Mark Hobbs. “It was never my intention for anyone to even know about this,” he says. “I work with an amazing group of people and l know many of them would have done the same thing.”

The cop in charge of Orewa Police, Rodney Area Commander Inspector Mark Fergus, says this is a great Christmas story that shows an act of kindness can have unexpected benefits “in this case, changing the attitude of a hard-case driver”.

“I’m proud to be part of an organisation where we have people such as Mark that live our value of empathy without seeking recognition or reward,” he says.

“It demonstrates that we work with awesome people who do these sort of acts and live our values every day of the year, right across the country.”