While doing a routine traffic stop in Westland, Michigan, a cop discovered a 3-year-old in a car with her father—but she wasn’t in a car seat. However, instead of issuing a ticket, Officer Joshua Scaglione did something surprising–he bought the father, LaVonte Dell, a car seat.
LaVonte Dell told Fox 29 that he initially thought he was pulled over because of his tinted windows. While he was correct, unfortunately, Scaglione also noticed the lack of a car seat. When Scaglione asked why there wasn’t one, Dell said he couldn’t afford it. Dell then explained to the cop that he had garnishments taken out of his paycheck, which meant he had to prioritize other needs first, such as food.
At this point, Scaglione proposed something surprising: He asked Dell if he could follow him to the nearest Walmart, so he could buy him a car seat. Afterwards, Dell posted on Facebook about what happened, and how grateful he is to Scaglione. As of now, the post has been shared over 5,600 times and garnered 11,000 reactions.
Dell wrote that the two seemed like “best friends” that day. He also stated:
“It was like night and day. Walkin side by side with a white officer. Never judge a book by its cover. [There are] some good guys left.”
Scaglione, who is a 27-year-old father with an 11-year-old son, said he was just “paying it forward.” Since he was, and still is, a young father, Scaglione said he could understand the tough situation Dell is in, stating:
“A citation or ticket is not always the solution to somebody’s problems. There are other routes we can take by using discretion as police officers to solve somebody’s problem. That’s the road I decided to go.”
While this may seem like a small gesture, for Dell, it changes his entire life. Small acts of kindness can make all the difference in someone’s world. It’s why we should always look for ways to help others.
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