Red Bank Officer gives homeless man shoes on a cold day

RED BANK, Tennessee (WDEF) – Most of America’s men and women in law enforcement quietly go about their duties every day.

Sometimes they all get painted with the same brush when things go wrong.

A Red Bank officer is going over and above her job to help people.

News 12’s Bill Mitchell tells us about Officer Tammie Delashment.

Hubert Copeland was shopping in a food store when he saw something he never expected to see.

A Red Bank police officer arrived at the scene and walked over to a homeless man on the ground wrapped in a blanket.

“My initial thought was, she’s going to harass him! “She went and nudged him…and they had a few words and she handed it to him. I thought it was food.”

It turned out that Officer Tammy Delashmitt was bringing that homeless man something he needed more than food on that cold February day, some shoes.

Officer Delashmitt said “We had gotten out with a male subject ..who was without shoes…and blisters were on his feet.”  “And so I went to some of the local thrift stores first and found a very good name brand shoe.”

Copeland said “there’s just so much going on in the nation…in our country now…and you can watch it everyday, a lot of negative stuff surrounding the police department. But to see that officer’s actions that day, meant a lot.”

Officer Delashmitt added “It was such a little gesture on my part. I didn’t realize it could make such an impact on one individual.”

That interaction with the public by Officer Delashmitt is really nothing unusual.

She’s been doing it for years and in fact spearheads an annual Christmas toy roundup in Red Bank every year.

“We just have a few of those individuals that roam the streets that we know have a mental illness.”

Her supervisor, Sgt. Rusty Allberg “we do have quite a few homeless in the area, and I know that she’s purchased shoes before. This isn’t the first instance. She’s purchased food. She’s certainly an asset to our agency and, as well, this community.”

Officer Delashmitt says “If it just helps a few…if it changes one person’s life….that’s all that matters.”

Officer Tammy Delashmitt, Red Bank Police department…we are proud to name you our First Responder of the month.”

JAMES WETTERMARK, WETTERMARK-KEITH “At Wettermark Keith, we are so proud of this month’s first responder’s winner, but we are also proud, of the hundreds of other first responders, who are out there working every day, and every night to protect us and our families.”