ORONO, Minn. – A Minnesota police officer is being praised for going above and beyond the call of duty — with a lawnmower.
Orono police officer Matt Siltala responded to a recent call to check on the welfare of an elderly woman. After seeing she was OK, he asked her why her yard was so overgrown.
“She said she doesn’t have anyone to mow for her,” Orono police said in a post on Facebook. “He grabbed her mower and cut the front yard.”
In a Facebook photo Siltala is seen pushing a gas-powered mower Thursday through thick grass beside the woman’s driveway.
“I cannot say how proud stuff like this makes us,” said the Orono police staffer who wrote the post. He or she also couldn’t resist making a joke.
“Not sure why Officer McCoy, who took the picture, couldn’t grab the trimmer,” the post said.
Police said in a followup comment that other people have since inquired about helping the woman with her lawn.
“Kindness and compassion needs to be taught from a young age. Love wins again,” said one commenter on Facebook. “Thank you to the officer who took the time to help this lady out. Remember everyone you will be elderly some day.”