INDIANAPOLIS — A pair of Indianapolis police officers took action when they found a family without presents for their young children early on Christmas Day, buying toys, candy and doughnuts for the children.
"There are times in the profession of law enforcement that it can be forgotten by the general public that police officers are human, or it's believed that officers don't have feelings," officials with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said in a Facebook post. "Officers like Tiffany Rand, who is compassionate and caring, showed that this stereotype is far from the truth."
Rand was sent to respond to an undisclosed call at a home just before 2 a.m. on Christmas and “observed that the family had come up against some hard times,” police said. Three children lived in the home -- a girl and two boys between the ages of 3 and 6 years.
“Being Christmas day, Officer Rand was disheartened seeing that there were no gifts and no Christmas tree,” police said. “The officers did not discredit the mother for the circumstances, for they know and understand that folks get down on their luck and sometimes don’t ask for help.”
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After handling the circumstances that led to the undisclosed call to police, Rand and Officer Ryan Archer, who also responded to the call, brainstormed ways to help the family.
The pair was able to find a CVS Pharmacy and a Speedway gas station open around 2 a.m., so they bought remote control cars, candy and stuffed animals for the boys. For the girl, they bought two Barbie dolls, candy and stuffed animals, police said. They also picked up a dozen doughnuts.
They returned to the home with their haul around 2:30 a.m., to the delight of the family.
“To say the children were overjoyed would be an understatement,” police said. “The look of undeniable happiness on each one of their faces were priceless!”
Cox Media Group
