A police officer showed how one can always choose to do good things in their line of work.
Deputy Jacob Swalwell of the Alameda County Sherriff’s Office observed a man at a corner of Foothill Boulevard and Mattox Road in Hayward, one of the busiest freeway off-ramps in the city.
He noticed this man had been begging for money for the past days.
He goes near cars while stuck in traffic, which is very concerning for the police officer.
Not only was the man panhandling, but it was also a safety issue having him there.
Officer Swalwell decided he should take action.
The deputy pulled over to give the man a citation, but he didn’t expect what happened next.
He asked for the man’s name and his ID.
The man said his name was Michael Myers, 67 years old, and a local of Alameda.
However, he said he did not have an ID – something that police officers often hear as an excuse.
But something told Officer Swalwell that there’s more to this story.
So, he asked Michael to get inside his cruiser and talked to him.
That’s when he learned more about the vagrant he met in the street and changed his mind about giving him a citation.
Michael was a truck driver until he was in a bad accident that injured his back.
It left him disabled, and he spent years in a wheelchair and crutches.
Despite this, he tried to get back to work in manufacturing and food service, but the work was causing too much pain in his back.
Left without a source of income, he begs for money on the street thrice a day to buy something to eat.
Officer Swalwell knew that this man needed not a citation but a person who could help.
He checked if Michael had any record but couldn’t find any; no criminal records or any substance abuse.
So, the officer asked him, “What’s it gonna take to get you off the street?”
He answered, “Well, a government check would do it, but I can’t seem to get one.”
The problem was Michael had no ID or any proof of identity and address to qualify for government benefits.
This is where Officer Swalwell stepped in.
He drove Michael to the nearest DMV to get an ID, but their first visit hit another roadblock: Michael was no longer in the system and, based on that, no longer exists.
Their next move was to get a California ID card, which seemed impossible.
Michael never knew his biological parents and has never seen his birth certificate nor has any proof of residency.
Officer Swalwell helped him acquire a copy from the church and the sheriff’s office, attesting that he resides in Hayward.
They also got a copy of his birth certificate from Highland Hospital.
With all the needed documents on hand, Michael finally had his ID card.
This did not only allow him to get government benefits but also find a job and an apartment.
It took one man to believe in him to finally live a life not begging on the street.
Watch the video below and learn more about Michael’s story.
