Behind the Badge
When Stalina Saleeby’s car suddenly stopped in the middle of a busy three-lane street she sat in her car, frightened and unsure of what to do.
Cars swerved around her in the busy intersection of Westminster Boulevard and Springdale Street, but she didn’t want to exit the vehicle.
A recent knee surgery meant she would need to hobble, possibly unsuccessfully, across three lanes of traffic to the nearby gas station for help.
Her vehicle had an issue with the fuel sensor and fuel pump, and the car broke down, she said.
So she waited.
Saleeby started recording video after WPD Officer James Nguyen pulled up behind her and asked if he could help.
Her video shows Nguyen grabbing a gas can and filling it up at the nearby station, which he paid for with his own money.
Nguyen then filled her tank so Saleeby could be on her way and get her car fixed.
In the video, Saleeby is crying saying she she was grateful for Nguyen because she didn’t have anyone to call for help that afternoon.
“I have tears right now because I am so happy,” she said in the video. “I sat (there) for 25 minutes and nobody even tried to help.
“He risked walking across all these lanes of traffic, you have know idea how much that means. Who does that?”
Saleeby posted the video to her Facebook with a thank you message for Nguyen and the Westminster PD. It has since been shared 83 times.
Westminster Cmdr. Cameron Knauerhaze also shared the post saying acts like these, although seemingly simple, illustrate officers’ character and commitment.
“In today’s social media climate, it’s not unusual for police officers to be stigmatized by some members of the public,” he said. “However, the majority knows that police officers handle thousands of calls without incident and in some cases, officers go above and beyond to serve their community.”
