We hear an awful lot about the ‘thin blue line? that protects law-abiding citizens from the criminal element.
But police officers aren’t the only ones who rush in to protect others or foil lawbreakers.
Everyday average citizens do it all across the country.
Last week, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department honored some Oxford and Addison residents who stepped up and did their part to make their communities a little safer.
Sandra Hall, of Oxford Township, was honored for her actions in rescuing a 4-year-old lost boy on Sept. 9, 2010.
She found the boy walking in the street in front of her house, wearing only pajamas, no socks or shoes.
Hall took the boy into her home to warm up. He could not speak or hear correctly due to a disability.
Hall and her son, Dan Hall, kept the child safe until sheriff’s deputies arrived. He was shortly reunited with his parents.
Also honored by the OCSD was Addison resident Christine Lorey. On Dec. 9, 2010, she observed a suspicious vehicle in a local neighborhood.
Lorey quickly wrote down the model, color and license plate number of the vehicle. When deputies responded to a larceny of mail incident, she realized the two were connected and gave the information to them.
The investigation yielded three suspects and led to a confession of nine home invasions in the area.
Charlene Nolan and Joseph Coakley, both of Oxford Township, were honored by the OCSD for their part in foiling an attempted auto theft and bringing the suspect to justice.
On June 16, 2010, Nolan observed a person lurking near her parked vehicle in Rochester Hills. When the suspect tried to open the door, she called 9-1-1.
While on the phone with the dispatcher, Nolan kept a close eye on the suspect and provided information about him. She also alerted Coakley as to what was happening.
Coakley confronted the suspect and held him until deputies arrived. It turns out the suspect was responsible for multiple vehicle larcenies and home invasions.