Holyoke police officers go undercover as secret Santa for unsusp - CBS 3 Springfield - WSHM
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CBS 3 Springfield - WSHM
HOLYOKE, MA (WSHM) -
Holyoke police officers John Loftus and Edward Moskal have probably heard every excuse in the book when it comes to pulling over drivers who do not follow the rules of the road.
On Friday, CBS 3 Springfield road along with the officers as they monitored a
busy intersection, and several drivers were pulled over for slowly rolling through a stop sign.
“You went through the stop sign,” said Loftus to a driver.
"Was there a stop sign there?" asked one driver.
"I know. I California-rolled it!" exclaimed another.
“Oh, I thought I stopped," said a driver.
On any given day, the
drivers wouldn't want to see the blue lights come flashing up behind them, but Friday was no ordinary day.
That's because in honor of the holidays, instead of receiving a fine for their minor violations, they received a surprise gift.
Boxes wrapped by the men and women of the Holyoke Police Department contained hundreds of dollars' worth of gifts that were made possible through donations from local establishments, including
Gary Rome Auto Group, Bert Hill Movers, Leed's Store, Mix 93.1, Kix 100.9 and NewsRadio 560.
“We're in the Christmas spirit,” Loftus said.
"Oh my, are you serious? Is this really for me?" questioned one driver as she was presented with a gift.
"Imagine having to spend your grocery money to get your kids gifts. Well now, thanks to these donations, people don't have to do that," Holyoke Police Chief James Neiswanger said.
"It feels good to give back. I think some of the people really appreciated it and I think they really needed it," Moskal said.
"Most of the people today - it seemed like it was going to help them out," said Loftus.
The police department says they're happy to lend a helping hand this holiday, and they also hope it acts as a friendly reminder for the drivers to drive safe.
“Enjoy the season, but don't forget the stop signs,” Loftus said.
"What they say about the cops isn't true. They're good people doing their jobs," said a driver.
"I'm happy to see the blue lights!” said another.
CBS 3 would like to thank the following sponsors who helped make this project possible:
- Gary Rome Auto Group
- The Range and Training Academy
- Berkshire Heating & Air Conditioning
- Mengel Defonte
- Amedeo's Restaurant and Pizzeria
- Leed's Store
- Guns and Gear
- Greensite Environmental
- AAA of West Springfield
- Mix 93.1
- Kix 100.9
- NewsRadio 560
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