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Police Officers Hand out Gift Cards Instead of Tickets

WEATHERLY — Drivers in one Carbon County community were on high alert as police officers were pulling people over left and right. But they weren’t h...

WEATHERLY -- Drivers in one Carbon County community were on high alert as police officers were pulling people over left and right.

But they weren't handing out tickets in Weatherly; they were handing out gift cards.

"The reason I stopped you, I clocked you going 35 mph in a 35 mph zone and I wanted to thank you for following the speed limit," Ptlm. Vince Morrow told driver after driver on his shift Wednesday.

Good drivers were rewarded with $10 gift cards, donated to the police department by anonymous donors.

"I do appreciate our policemen," said Rose Weston, one of the drivers pulled over. "I do try to obey the law most of the time.

"Watch for somebody that stops at a stop sign and has their seatbelt on or traveling the speed limit," said Sgt. Michael Bogart. "We figure we'll stop and give them a Merry Christmas with a gift card."

Patrolman Morrow has noticed people at traffic stops aren't treating him like the Grinch; instead, he's feeling more like St. Nick.

"Usually when we conduct traffic stops, it's not always the greatest of situations for most people," Morrow added. "They don't like being pulled over. They usually expect to get a ticket. This is definitely a nice change and a nice upbringing to the holiday spirit."

Officers plan to keep handing out gifts cards in Weatherly to good drivers up until Christmas.

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