OK Co. Sheriff's Dept. Gives Cash Instead Of Tickets For Holidays

Deputies with the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office typically spend their days fighting crime and keeping people safe on the streets. But for the past three days, some deputies spent their time pulling people over for a different reason.

When most drivers hear police sirens and see their lights pull up behind them, they aren't happy. But deputies wanted to change that by handing out cash instead of tickets.

Oklahoma County Sheriff's deputies pull people over every day and hear their excuses every day.

“I know I was speeding. I was on my way to work and that's not an excuse,” one driver said to Sgt. John Rose with the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Department.

But it's not every day that deputies get to play Santa and give drivers a little boost.

“I got to pay my electric bill today and I can't. I don't have any access to any cash,” the driver continued. “I'm so sorry about speeding. I understand I'm going to get a ticket?”

The deputy didn't write her a ticket. He gave her something else just in time for the holidays.

“So this is from the Sheriff's Office,” Sgt. Rose said when handing her $20.

“Oh my God! Really? Thank you!” The woman exclaimed.

“We hope you have a good Christmas, OK?” Sgt. Rose told her.

Whether they've just fallen on hard times or just had a hard day, a little cold hard cash helped.

Deputies said this effort was to show people the other side of the coin with law enforcement.

“We're not doing this to change the public's view on us. We just want them to know that we are human, that we want to help our fellow man. It's just we have a job to do,” said Corporal Mark Johns with the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office.

The OCSO's FOP #155 donated the $1000 used for this effort. Fifty people received $20 donations.

View the video posted by the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office of more Christmas donations.

Cpl. Johns said this was the first year the group handed out the holiday cash. They plan to continue the new tradition each Christmas from now on.