Wayne County Sheriff’s deputies give out gift cards for the holidays

(CBS DETROIT)On Wednesday, the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office distributed something besides tickets.

On Wednesday, Sheriff Raphael Washington and his deputies gave drivers $250 Kroger gift cards, transforming traffic stops into Santa stops.

“I’m like why is he stopping me?” Reggie, a motorist who was pulled over by police for a gift card, stated.

This additional cash means a lot to Patricia Davis, who was stopped and given a gift card.

“Today I’m broke. Here it was. I needed some items as I was packing up at Whole Foods, but this is incredibly helpful, and I’m grateful. “I’m really surprised,” Davis remarked.

The sheriff’s office, Kroger, and the Leaders Advancing and Helping Communities group have partnered to give away gift cards. According to Washington, this is an enjoyable chance to engage with the community.

“We’re not all about trying to lock people up and trying to arrest people, but we’re trying to bless people at the same time and give them some type of Christmas holiday season that they deserve if they might be less fortunate than others,” he stated.

Cpl. Mike Noe of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, who made the decision to pull over vehicles on Wednesday, stated that he sought for older vehicles and families. He has been a part of the program for two years. He claimed that patrolling in this manner feels fantastic.

“Makes you feel good because… they think it’s going to be a bad outcome sometimes when you’re dealing with the police, but it’s nice to give them a good outcome, feel better and you know it makes us feel better to have people not thinking we’re just going to give them a ticket every day,” said Noe.

After covering Michigan’s capital for two years, Elle Meyers joined the CBS News Detroit staff in April 2023. Born in Oregon, Elle graduated from the University of Oregon (go Ducks!) with a double major in political science and journalism, two subjects that have helped her along the way to Detroit.

Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!