Page 50 - August 2018

20th District officers put their mettle to the pedals
n BY ERIKA WURST
On July 19, 6-year-old Thomas Cunningham was enjoying an evening at the Argyle Night Market with his family when some- one broke his tiny heart.
As he was getting his face painted, someone swooped in and stole Thomas’ most prized possession — his favorite bike, which he left unattended nearby. He was devastated, and so was his frantic mother. She approached 20th District Field Training Officer Akad Asdou and Officer Samuel Snieg with the news of what had occurred. Asdou and Snieg reached out to other of- ficers at the event and transmitted a description of the stolen bike.
Working that night was Community Policing Sergeant Atour Bethishou, who tried his best to find the bike but came up emp- ty-handed. The officers decided to file a case report and hope for the best.
“The chances of reuniting him with his bike are really slim, unless it’s registered with the City,” Bethishou explained. “Even the chances of us spotting it are pretty slim.”
This fact didn’t sit well with Asdou and Snieg, who felt horrible about Thomas’ situation. They knew they had to do something to help. So, the pair passed a hat around the district headquar- ters, soliciting donations from fellow officers in an attempt to purchase a new bike for Thomas. Within a day’s time, the funds had been raised and the officers were presenting the smiling young man with a shiny, new prized possession.
“I think what they did is great,” Bethishou said of the officers’ dedication to going above and beyond. “It just shows you that
Officers Samuel Snieg (left) and Akad Asdou raised money to replace a sto- len bike for 6-year-old Thomas Cunningham.
the police are human. They feel bad about things when bad things happen. It’s not just being a robot when these things hap- pen. They’ve got emotions, too.”
He hopes that the positive interaction Thomas had with po- lice last month will last him a lifetime.
“I’m sure that event made [Thomas’] day, if not his year,” Be- thishou said. “Imagine getting your bike stolen, and all of a sud- den the police are there to replace it. That’s a big deal. I’m sure this kid is going to have a really good impression of police after this, and his mom will, too.”
The community also took notice. A picture of Thomas re- ceiving his bicycle has garnered more than 600 “loves” and 140 shares in the two weeks since it was posted on the district’s Twit- ter page. Proof that one small act, one act of going above and beyond, can impact communities in a big way. d
50 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ AUGUST 2018