Over 60 officers from the McDonough Police Department, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, and Henry County Police Department were stationed on the McDonough Square during the peaceful demonstration that took place on Monday, June 1.
For about 14 hours, uniformed personnel stood around the Square to ensure that the demonstration remained peaceful.
During the demonstration, McDonough resident Carleigh Cofield, her friend, Kayla Keeton, and Keeton’s son, Nicholas, were passing through the Square, saw the officers present and felt moved to do something for them.
“I’ve always loved the police, so I was like, ‘They always do a lot for us, let me give back to them,’ because they are experiencing all this hate right now,” said Cofield. “They could use some love.”
“The reason we did it was because, behind the scenes, no one really gets to know the cops,” said Keeton. “I actually know quite a few of them that were out there. These are my friends. It was to show support for my friends in the community that protect us on a daily basis.”
Cofield and Keeton picked up cookies and chips for the officers, as well as a tray of chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A and dropped the food off at the McDonough Police Department.
Major Kyle Helgerson with the McDonough Police Department and the other officers stationed on the Square expressed appreciation for the concern shown toward officers.
“If you watch the news nationwide, it’s a very difficult climate right now for law enforcement. Obviously, we don’t agree with the actions the officers did up in Minneapolis, but we are extremely grateful for citizens to come forward to show their respect and support for law enforcement during these times,” said Helgerson.
He stated that, along with Cofield and Keeton’s donation, demonstrators and area business owners were also offering to provide them food during the demonstration.
“We had offers throughout the day from many people, whether it was snacks or finger foods, or bottles of water,” said Helgerson. “Business owners were even coming to us and giving us vouchers to their businesses or restaurants around the Square in appreciation for what we’re doing out there.”
A donor that wishes to remain anonymous purchased 10 gift certificates to Gritz Family Restaurant and handed them out to officers on the Square.
“She was eating breakfast here and then she saw what was going on outside and she saw the officers out there and said, ‘I just want to do something nice for the officers.’’ said Tariq Rathur, owner of Gritz Family Restaurant.
Rathur states that actions like what he saw on Monday, June 1, are testaments to the character of the many people that live, work and visit McDonough.
“I love this city. The people in McDonough are incredible and you see their generosity everyday,” said Rathur. “It’s really nice to see the support of the local law enforcement and a local business at the same time. It’s pretty incredible.”
In further support of area officers, McDonough business owner Tiffany Cooper recently placed a banner outside of the McDonough Police Department building with written statements of encouragement and support for police officers.
She was inspired to ensure that officers knew they were appreciated, following a conversation with her husband, who is a detective with the McDonough Police Department.
“The other night he came home very broken and he just said, ‘I don’t know if I want to do this anymore.’ He was just very upset,” said Cooper. “I just thought to myself, what can I do to show them that people do care?”
She then placed a post on her Facebook page asking for messages of support for her husband and other officers.
“Within one hour, I had 160 comments of encouragement,” said Cooper.
Cooper took each comment, put them into an email and sent it to each officer in the McDonough Police Department.
However, she did not feel as if the email was enough and purchased a banner that was placed in front of the McDonough Police Department on Friday, June 5 to further encourage the officers.
“I just felt like [the email] wasn’t enough. I wanted them to see [the encouragement] and feel it everyday when they come in, so I had the banner made,” said Cooper. “I know that there are great people there and everywhere else. I’m tired of everyone bashing the good ones and not holding the bad ones accountable. I just feel like they need to be reminded that they are amazing people and that we appreciate them.”
The banner has been placed outside of the McDonough Police Department with a marker for passersby to write a positive note for the officers.
Coming from a black man and a 26 year veteran of the U.S. Army, It still scares the (H**) out of me when i am pulled over by any White police officer day or night. Because I don’t know what mood he is in. I have served on boards with white police officer that were very find people after they got to know me and I know that if one of them were to pull me over, day or night I would not have a problem with them. Why, because they have come to know me as a person, not as a black person,
If we all would take the time to get to know our neighbors and to try an treat then as we would like to be treated, this world would be a much better place.
One of the problems is that when some of our officers put on the uniform or badge, they stop being human beans and think that every one is out to get them, which is not true. Many of us still support, respect and honor our Law Enforce officers, just wish that they would do the same.
Respect is a two way street, we respect the officers, however do they respect us, it’s amazing that the citizens are buying lunch but want admit the LEO culture needs modifications ( I didn’t say defund)