Isle of Wight Sheriff’s deputy delivers heater, blankets to elderly couple

Published 11:57 am Saturday, January 14, 2017

As we begin the new year, the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office wanted to bring some attention to an act of kindness shown to an elderly couple by one of our deputies. While this deputy does not seek recognition or any “pat on the back” when a member of our agency goes above and beyond the call of duty we feel it is important to shine a light on the outstanding work our personnel do every day.

Too often only the negative aspects of citizen’s interaction with Law Enforcement gets publicized.

While we realize that these negative interactions do occur, they are minuscule compared to all the positive things law enforcement professional do here in Isle of Wight County and across Hampton Roads.

Right around the first of the year, Deputy Jeremy Hall was dispatched to the 13000 block of Prince Andrew Trail in the Carrollton area of the county. An elderly couple living at this address had called 911 because the heat in their home had stopped working and they were hoping our 911 operators could put them in contact with the local gas company. Deputy Hall was sent to their home to conduct a welfare check of the couple. Upon arriving at the home, Deputy Hall soon realized that the temperature in the home was in the 50s and that getting the couple’s heat fixed may be a time-consuming issue. With this being an elderly couple, (She is 80 and her husband is 88), Deputy Hall took it upon himself to go to a local store and purchase a space heater and two electric blankets.

The funds for this purchase were Hall’s and not money provided to him by the Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Hall took the space heaters and blankets to the couple and made sure they were working before leaving the home. The couple offered to pay Hall for these items but he refused.

This past week, Sheriff Marshall received a voice mail from the very thankful couple informing us of Deputy Hall’s act of kindness. Also that day, Deputy Hall’s supervisor, noting Hall’s objections, took a photo of the items Hall purchased. This photo was taken so that it could be used in our annual end-of-the-year review and is attached to this release.

It is this type of interaction between deputies and citizens that speaks volumes to the caliber of men and women serving in law enforcement here in Isle of Wight County and across Hampton Roads.

LT. TOMMY POTTER is the public information officer for the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office. He can be reached at 357-9001 or tpotter@isleofwightus.net.