By Donna Thornton/News Editor
Gadsden Police Chief John Crane shared a story of positive police work during the last Gadsden City Council meeting.
Crane said after the Dec. 9 Christmas parade in downtown Gadsden, there was wreck in the Broad Street area. No one was injured, Crane said, but there were two children who were very upset.
Night shift patrolmen Jeff Knowles and Hank Wells had responded, Crane said, and gave the children teddy bears – carried by Gadsden officers for the express purpose of providing comfort to children they encounter in traumatic situations.
Crane said one of the children wrote a letter of thanks to the police officers and his family gave the department a bag of teddy bears to give to other children in need of comfort.
Lt. Paul Cody provided a copy of the letter:
Dear Police Office,
My name is (deleted at the request of the police department). I was in a wreck the night of the Christmas parade. It was a green Jeep and a Lexus suv. The two police offices gave me and the other girl a stuffed animal because we were scared and crying. He told me “it was going to be ok.” I slept with it and I don’t let it out of my sight. I bring it to the car on the way to school. It makes me feel warm hearted. So when ever somebody is in a wreck, please give them a stuffed animal. Here are some new teddy bears for the children. The officers names were Jeff Knowles and Hank Wells.
Your friend
Cody said the boy who sent the letter was nine years old. He said officers frequently find themselves in situations where giving stuffed animals brings comfort to kids.
The donated bears will be given to officers to have in the vehicles so they can give them to other children who need the kind of comfort this child received, Cody said.