When he met the family of three while taking a scam report, the Greenwood police officer immediately wanted to help.
The woman, her son and her granddaughter had moved to Greenwood, thinking they had found a home to rent through an online advertisement. They met with a man who claimed to be the landlord and they gave him $1,500 — all the money they had — for fees, rent and a deposit.
Soon after, the family learned the home was bank-owned and not up for rent, and they had been scammed out of their money by the man who claimed to be the landlord.
They had no money and no place to live.
“I felt a real aching in my heart for these people,” Greenwood Police Officer Randy Eck said.
Eck reached out to a local apartment complex manager, got them to waive some of the typical fees and let the family move into an apartment that had become available that day. But he wanted to do more, knowing that the loss of that $1,500 was a hard hit to the family, he said.
So when an anonymous business owner again donated gift cards for police officers to give to families in need, Eck knew exactly who he wanted the money to go to, he said.
“I knew, since they were scammed out of so much money, that any money would help them,” Eck said.
This is the second year the local business owner, who does not want to be identified, has donated the gift cards, Greenwood Police Deputy Chief James Ison said.
The gift cards are for Target, Kroger and Walmart, and last year he donated about $2,100 worth. Ison reaches out to his officers, telling them to think of local families in need who could use the gift cards, especially during the holiday season.
Their goal is to build a relationship between the officers and the community, Ison said.
Often, officers are interacting with families on a bad day, when they have been the victim of a crime, in an accident or are being arrested. This allows the officers to give families — especially children — a positive interaction with police, Ison said.
“It shows them these officers are human, they have hearts, they do care about us,” Ison said.
“With all the negativity going on nationwide, it just brings a little good cheer.”
Being able to help people is one aspect of a police officer’s job, but it is also the most satisfying, Eck said.
After the family settled into their apartment, the woman contacted Eck, wanting to bring him cookies, a card and an ornament. That ornament hangs on his Christmas tree at home, and is a reminder of the important work he does every day, he said.
“To see that, it gives you sense of purpose to go into work that day and make a difference in someone’s life, to change that perspective that people have about police officers,” Eck said.
His hope is that after he helps a family, whether that is by giving someone a few dollars for gas or participating in the annual Shop with a Cop program and delivering baskets for the Good Cheer Fund, that colors their next interaction with police in a good way, he said.
And he hopes that feeling spreads to others, he said.
“The positive interactions that we have with people is contagious, it seems to spread more and more,” Eck said.
