Friday, January 18, 2002
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Friday, January 18, 2002 |
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Officer's good deed recognized
By JANET
McGREGOR
A Union City police officer's humanitarian act did not go unnoticed by the city's governing body. Officer Torino Hawkins, a shift supervisor for the South Fulton Municipal Regional Jail, attended the City Council meeting Tuesday intending to simply take the oath to become a public safety officer. He recently graduated from the Police Academy, an accomplishment deserving in itself of recognition. But hawkins was pleasantly surprised when he was recognized for helping an elderly couple during an accident. The Union City Department of Public Safety, the City Council and attendees honored Hawkins after he took the oath. In December 2001, while on his way to work, Hawkins witnessed an accident on I-285 in DeKalb County. A flatbed truck cut in front of an 18-wheel truck causing the truck to jackknife. The corner of the truck hit an elderly couple's car, forcing them off the road and shattering their rear window. Despite the cold and the pouring rain, Hawkins immediately stopped and ran to the car to ensure the pair were unhurt. He contacted the Dekalb Police Department and calmed the couple who were, in their words, "scared half to death." The Fayette County couple wrote a two-page letter to the Mayor Ralph Moore, the City Council and to the Bobby Fronebarger, director of the Public Safety Department, expressing their appreciation for Hawkins' assistance. According to the letter, "... [the] deed Officer Hawkins did for us was beyond the call of duty. We really appreciated it." Hawkins will continue to work as shift supervisor at the jail. Additionally, as a Police Academy graduate, he will work as a patrol officer and will assist in prisoner transport as needed. Hawkins has been with the South Fulton Police Department for nine months. Fellow officer Leon Gates also recently graduated from the Police Academy and will be adding patrol officer to his list of duties.
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