Teh One Who Knocks
12-08-2016, 01:03 PM
Amy Frazier and KOIN 6 News Staff
http://i.imgur.com/YOsLVMU.jpg
McMINNVILLE, Ore. (KOIN) — It began as a pretty standard disturbance call for Yamhill County Sheriff Deputy Greg Park last Sunday.
There was a dispute at a home over money, but Deputy Park quickly realized there was not much he could do to solve this.
The woman at the home — who did not want to appear on-camera — told the deputy “she had put her money on a boyfriend’s card, like a bank card, and that money was for Christmas presents for the children, for her 6 kids and to pay off her water bill which had been racking up a little bit lately,” Park told KOIN 6 News. “Unfortunately, being (a) civil (case) we weren’t able to get the money back.”
“After everything was resolved and deemed that there was no criminal aspect, I kind of got talking to her a little bit and got to seeing her 6 kids,” the 27-year-old deputy told KOIN 6 News. “Kind of realized, you know, everybody falls on hard times like this. Everybody needs some help.”
He walked back to his patrol car and checked his wallet. Then he walked back to the woman’s door.
Deputy Greg Park gave the woman $140 “to make sure the power and everything stayed on for the kids.”
“I just decided (the money was) better to go to someone that can use it to help their children rather than go to me. I can make my lunches at home.”
He said he learned her major concern was that her power and water might be shut off. That’s why, he said, the deputies were called in the first place, because she was worried she wouldn’t have the money to pay her bills.
http://i.imgur.com/OV76go4.jpg
“She was really more than anything more focused on those 6 kids, making sure that they had heat and light and could shower and bathe and stuff,” he said.
When he handed her the money, he said she didn’t believe it and didn’t know what to say.
“Kind of had to stand there and say, ‘No, take it, I want you to have this, I want you to be able to pay your bills with this,'” he told KOIN 6 News. “It took a little coaxing to actually get her to take the money, but once she did it was pretty emotional.”
Park, who’s been with the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office since 2012, said he got into police work as a way to help people: “99.9% of us really want to help.”
“Where your abilities as a law enforcement officer might hit a wall and you can’t do anything on the legal realm, but you can do something on a personal level — I think especially people in our line of work — if you can help you should help. You kind of have a responsibility to help.”
He said he didn’t want to let this opportunity to help pass him by.
And he has a simple wish for this mother and her 6 children: to have some stress taken out of the way.
“I want them to just be able to sit down and enjoy family time when the kids get off of school, just not have to worry about those little things and just be able to enjoy the time they get with their family, the same as the rest of us.”
Park, whose wife is a teacher in Lafayette, has lived in the McMinnville area his whole life.
He said he wasn’t expecting the attention he’s receiving for helping the woman out.
“It’s kind of shocking that it got this much attention,” he said, noting his phone has been going crazy and the sheriff said he was proud of him.
“It’s nice, though.”
http://i.imgur.com/YOsLVMU.jpg
McMINNVILLE, Ore. (KOIN) — It began as a pretty standard disturbance call for Yamhill County Sheriff Deputy Greg Park last Sunday.
There was a dispute at a home over money, but Deputy Park quickly realized there was not much he could do to solve this.
The woman at the home — who did not want to appear on-camera — told the deputy “she had put her money on a boyfriend’s card, like a bank card, and that money was for Christmas presents for the children, for her 6 kids and to pay off her water bill which had been racking up a little bit lately,” Park told KOIN 6 News. “Unfortunately, being (a) civil (case) we weren’t able to get the money back.”
“After everything was resolved and deemed that there was no criminal aspect, I kind of got talking to her a little bit and got to seeing her 6 kids,” the 27-year-old deputy told KOIN 6 News. “Kind of realized, you know, everybody falls on hard times like this. Everybody needs some help.”
He walked back to his patrol car and checked his wallet. Then he walked back to the woman’s door.
Deputy Greg Park gave the woman $140 “to make sure the power and everything stayed on for the kids.”
“I just decided (the money was) better to go to someone that can use it to help their children rather than go to me. I can make my lunches at home.”
He said he learned her major concern was that her power and water might be shut off. That’s why, he said, the deputies were called in the first place, because she was worried she wouldn’t have the money to pay her bills.
http://i.imgur.com/OV76go4.jpg
“She was really more than anything more focused on those 6 kids, making sure that they had heat and light and could shower and bathe and stuff,” he said.
When he handed her the money, he said she didn’t believe it and didn’t know what to say.
“Kind of had to stand there and say, ‘No, take it, I want you to have this, I want you to be able to pay your bills with this,'” he told KOIN 6 News. “It took a little coaxing to actually get her to take the money, but once she did it was pretty emotional.”
Park, who’s been with the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office since 2012, said he got into police work as a way to help people: “99.9% of us really want to help.”
“Where your abilities as a law enforcement officer might hit a wall and you can’t do anything on the legal realm, but you can do something on a personal level — I think especially people in our line of work — if you can help you should help. You kind of have a responsibility to help.”
He said he didn’t want to let this opportunity to help pass him by.
And he has a simple wish for this mother and her 6 children: to have some stress taken out of the way.
“I want them to just be able to sit down and enjoy family time when the kids get off of school, just not have to worry about those little things and just be able to enjoy the time they get with their family, the same as the rest of us.”
Park, whose wife is a teacher in Lafayette, has lived in the McMinnville area his whole life.
He said he wasn’t expecting the attention he’s receiving for helping the woman out.
“It’s kind of shocking that it got this much attention,” he said, noting his phone has been going crazy and the sheriff said he was proud of him.
“It’s nice, though.”