Ft. Lauderdale Officers Give Gifts Not Tickets During 'Operation Santa Stop'
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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Some drivers in Fort Lauderdale thought they were going to get a ticket, but instead they saw their Christmas dreams come true.
The Fraternal Order of Police and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department decided to put together "Operation Santa Stop."
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Throughout the day officers pulled over drivers and went through the motions of a traffic stop.
"Do you have your registration?" the officer is heard saying on the YouTube video. "I'll be right with you okay? Sometimes the computer takes a little while, I'll be back with you okay?"
The drivers' faces all show a level of worry for that impeding ticket.
Instead, the casual conversation about Christmas lists and shopping gave the cops the ammunition they were looking for.
While officers were "running the drivers' information," they were actually radioing to their colleagues at a local store.
Car after car, driver after driver was met with the same joyful trickery.
"We figured we'd go out and find some people, who may or may not have been having a good day, and make that day a little bit better," said Sgt. Jack Lokeinsky.
Whether the cops gave the driver a playpen for a baby, an Xbox One or even a stuffed animal, the reaction was the same; pure elation and gratitude.
"That is amazing! We are on such a budget this year, I feel like crying," said one driver.
"Thank you! God bless you! Thank you! God bless you," said another.
And top it all off, as one officer said jokingly, "Here's you information back sir. And no ticket either."
Fort Lauderdale's FOP said they were inspired by a similar operation out of Lowell, Michigan.
Here is the YouTube Video:
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