To the Editor:
I’d like to tip my hat to PFC Wardrop of the Fairfax County Police Department.
Most mornings I stop at the McDonald’s on Cooper Road to get my morning coffee. When I arrived this morning (Oct. 26), ahead of me was Officer Wardrop speaking with a black gentleman who appeared to be “down on his luck.” As I approached, I heard Officer Wardrop ask the man if he wanted something to eat and then proceed to buy him a breakfast sandwich. After the order was prepared, he took the tray of food to one of the booths, then sat down and had breakfast with the gentleman. To say I was moved by this kind gesture would be an understatement.
In this era where all we hear about are the 1/10 of 1 percent of police interactions that end tragically, why is it that we rarely hear about all the positive police interactions like this one? This officer saw a man down on his luck, reached out to him, and tried to make a difference in his day. Some might say it was only breakfast at McDonalds, but it was more than the rest of us thought to do this morning.
Thank you to Officer Wardrop and any other officers whose thoughtful gestures go unnoticed.
Hank Russo
Alexandria