Chy-Niece Thacker was on her way to an interview for her dream job when she saw police lights in her rearview window. It didn't seem like they were planning to pass her vehicle, so she did what any other responsible driver would do and pulled over.
What happened after the police officer asked her to open her trunk left her at a loss for words. How could this happen to her?
Chy-Niece Thacker
On September 1, 2017, Chy-Niece Thacker woke up in a good mood. She was looking forward to this day as she had finally landed a job interview at her dream company. And now more than ever, the young mom needed all the support she could get.
Sadly, she wouldn't make it to the interview.
Hoping For The Best
Like any other job seeker, Chy-Niece wanted to leave a good impression on her interviewer. So, she dressed in her best business casual outfit and applied some makeup.
She had a good feeling about the upcoming interview. But fate had other plans.
The Morning Of
That morning, Chy-Niece left her home, got into her car, and drove to her interview.
The woman didn't know it at the time, but she had a broken brake light. This meant that if she suddenly had to stop while on the highway, the person behind her would drive into the back of her car. So, when one cop noticed it, he immediately signaled her to pull over.
Getting Her Car Checked Out
Chy-Niece thought her brake lights were working fine as she had just checked her car into the local Firestone a month before. The workers demanded she pays $600 for a wiring test, but it was too expensive for her.
So, she politely declined and drove away. And while there's no proof, it's possible one of the mechanics didn't like her rejecting his offer and messed with the brake lights. And Chy-Niece didn't realize it until it was too late.
Feeling Stressed
Chy-Niece was feeling a bit nervous as she drove to her job interview. The traffic was insane, and she couldn't afford to be late.
Suddenly, she noticed red and blue lights flashing in her rearview window. Chy-Niece felt her heart pounding in her chest as she prepared to pull over.
Getting Pulled Over
At that moment, the young mother knew she had to play her cards right. Otherwise, she'd have to kiss that job goodbye.
So, Chy-Niece pulled over to the side of the road and prepared to show her documents to the police officer. She couldn't have been stopped at a worse time. But little did she know this was just the beginning.
Preparing Herself
The luck was definitely not on Chy-Niece's side that morning. If she arrived late for her interview, they would never hire her.
She didn't want to waste any time talking with the police, so she quickly opened her glove department and grabbed her registration. But it wasn't her registration that the cop cared about. It was something much more important than that.
Officer Jenkins
Officer Jenkins wasn't your typical cop who would just write you a huge ticket if you had a broken light. So when he saw Chy-Niece holding her registration and license, he told her to put it away.
The officer informed her that she, in fact, had two broken headlights. Chy-Niece couldn't believe what she was hearing. But what the officer did next was even more shocking.
Opening Her Trunk
Chy-Niece began telling him how she was overcharged at Firestone when she came to get her lights fixed. The officer looked at her and asked her to open her trunk.
Chy-Niece didn't want to end up on the news, so she walked over to the back of her car and opened her trunk.
Waiting For Him To Leave
The woman tried to stay calm, hoping it would all be over soon. But the officer wasn't in a rush as he continued tinkering with her trunk. Confused, she looked over his shoulder, preparing to tell him about the interview and how she had to get going.
And what he was doing with her car was definitely not something she had expected.
Broken Brake Lights
The police officer was busy repairing her brake lights. Sadly, they didn't turn on. Either the mechanic had messed with her brake lights, or the vehicle was too old.
The police officer then looked at Chy-Niece and asked her to pop the hood. What was he planning to do?
Helping Her Out
Chy-Niece was confused by what was happening. "He could've easily given me a ticket, but Officer Jenkins stepped out of the officer role and into the mechanic role to make sure I was straight," she said during an interview with FOX.
Would she make it to her interview on time?
Acing The Job Interview
It's unknown whether or not the officer managed to fix her lights. As for the job interview, Chy-Niece aced it and got the job.
And in 2017, she started working as a correctional program support person at the University of Phoenix. But she didn't forget about the kind officer who tried to fix her brake lights. And she would later do something special for him.
Letting The World Know
Chy-Niece couldn't stop thinking about officer Jenkins, and when she got home from her interview, she wrote a very touching post about him on her social media.
Not every police officer would waste their time fixing someone's brake lights. It's much easier to write a ticket and move on. But officer Jenkins was different.
Receiving Responses
In her post, she explained how she was running late for an interview and how Officer Jenkins pulled her over at the most inconvenient time.
By the end of the story, people knew what a kind man Jenkins was. Chy-Niece's post received many responses, but one comment stood out the most.
A Comment From The Henrico County Police Department
Chy-Niece's heart-warming post instantly went viral. People were moved by the officer's kindness. However, there was one comment that touched Chy-Niece's heart.
The Henrico County Police Department left a comment thanking her for sharing her story.
Thanking Chy-Niece
"Thank you, Chy-Niece Thacker, for sharing this about one of our officers. We are so proud of our officers, especially when we see citizens share things like this," the police station wrote under her Facebook post.
"Above and beyond the call of duty, Officer Jenkins. Service to our community is what it's all about." And soon, the entire world would hear her story.
Worldwide Sensation
Usually, headlines featuring police have dark, upsetting stories behind them, but Chy-Niece's story would have an opposite effect on people.
Her Facebook post soon became a viral sensation, catching the eye of big news networks like NBC and FOX.
A Good Person
One person was also in a similar situation. "Yes, there are some good ones out there. I got pulled over a couple of weeks ago for my tail lights being out, and he helped me figure it out," he wrote.
"It turned out that it had a fuse blown. He told me to drive the rest of the way home with my hazard lights on!" Chy-Niece's story is proof that not all police officers are itching to give you a ticket or send you to prison. "Actually, He gives all officers a good name…we have him, but there are thousands more like him," another person commented.
The World Needs More People Like Him
He further continued, "The bad ones with attitudes overshadow the truly professional officers like him. I do think Henrico has the best officers, though."
Many people agreed that the world could use a little more peace, love, and understanding. One person summed it up perfectly in his comment.
Good Cops Exist
"I love a good cop cause I remember how nice it was to see them in the neighborhood and the feeling of being safe and you could talk to them!" he wrote.
If all the good cops would oust all the bad cops, then the police would again have our respect and admiration," he continued.
Good Job, Officer Jenkins!
Another person left a similar comment saying, "Good job, officer Jenkins! You are a great representative for the law enforcement community, and the Lord is pleased with your righteous act of service."
"God bless you, sir, and may God protect you and your family." Considering that it's been a few years since the interaction, many people are wondering what Chy-Niece is up to today.
She Changed Her Career
Chy-Niece has recently changed her career and is now occupied with something that aligns more with her dreams.
She is working at UMFS as a youth counselor, helping young adults and families to overcome difficult challenges.
Officer Zach Hall
And Officer Jenkins is still working as a police officer in Henrico County, Virginia.
Officer Zach Hall from the Massachusetts police department had also helped someone in need on New Year's Day. It all started when he received a call around 2:45 am from a woman who was in a desperate situation.
Delivering A Baby
That early morning, he responded to a call from a woman who was actively in labor.
Hall helped the woman deliver her daughter, who was named Sophia. "He was literally beaming! It was good to see! It's a nice change-a happy call instead of the usual stuff!!" the police department wrote on Facebook. How did the officer feel at that moment?
A Special Moment
The 34-year-old said that the moment was "unlike anything I've ever felt." He was glad he could help that woman deliver a healthy baby girl.
"I was there to help bring a new life brought into this world, all while trying to remain calm for the nervous parents," Zach said.
She Was About To Give Birth
"I feel proud and lucky that I had the opportunity to help this family and their beautiful new baby. It's not something many police officers witnesses," he continued.
Zach wasn't nervous when he arrived at her house because he didn't know how far along she was in her labor. "It was when I saw the baby's father running out of the house that I realized the mother was about to give birth at any moment," he recalled.
He Helped Her
He further explained, "I just ran into the house ready to help. As a cop, you don't really have the time to focus on nerves or emotions. We just do what we are trained to do."
Zach's wife, who is also a police officer, told PEOPLE she wasn't surprised to hear that her husband helped to deliver a baby.
She Is Proud Of Him
She said, "We go through first responder training that helps us in such a situation, but we never really expect to be a part of such a special moment."
"I am so proud of him and everything he does for the community every day... I know he truly loves being able to help others."
A New Year's Surprise
It warmed her heart to hear that Zach didn't hesitate to help the couple bring a new life into this world. "What a way to ring in the new year!" she said.
Zach is hoping his story will change people's opinion of police officers. Not all of them are violent and heartless.
Good And Bad People Are Everywhere
"There are good and bad people in this society that we, as police, interact with every single day — just as there are good and bad police officers that the public interacts with every single day," Zach said.
"It's so nice to get positive feedback from the community, especially during a time when most of what the world seems to focus on lately is only the negative."
Happy To Help
Zach wants people to know that at the end of the day, police officers just want to help you.
He also congratulated the parents saying, "As nice as it is for everyone to acknowledge my actions, it should also be acknowledged the bravery of the parents in such a crazy situation. We were all in it together, and I couldn't be happier for them."