BOZEMAN — 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 Bozeman Daily 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.
[Via Billings Gazette]
Note From Survival Spot: This story was particularly touching and inspiring to us. Individuals like this officer are rare/
given the day in time, this is a very important story. While he guy is going to answer for the crime, the Officer did what good Officers do. This is the appitamy of community policing. while he did the appropriate thing in regards to the law, he still showed a little compasion by helping the guy out and making sure his kids got the things they needed. Hope this works out for the guy, maybe the grocer will step up and give him a part time job to tie him over. BUY MORE AMMO……..BUT DONT SHOPLIFT IT:)
Being a Bozeman native (currently exploring the world with uncle sams finest in the military), I can attest, after having seen much of the United States and the world, that Montana has some of the most down to earth and caring folks no matter what their job or their political beliefs. Although Officer Ziegler definately stands out. Just try giving the two finger wave off of your steering wheel in West Texas while driving down the back roads. Evil glare from passing car? I know the feeling.
Good post. We need more cops like that, more people like that.