ARLINGTON (1080 KRLD) - An Arlington police officer is being praised for his actions during a shoplifting response last month.
On Thanksgiving Day, Ofc. Nick Ghidina and another officer confronted a woman who had stolen food from a nearby food store.
They quickly discovered that the woman was homeless and hungry.
So instead of handcuffing the woman and taking her to jail, Officer Ghidina took a picture of the food, went to the store and paid for it with his own money.
The officers then gave the woman a ride to her homeless camp and got her in touch with the department's homeless outreach officer.
The department says while it does not condone shoplifting, it praises Officer Ghidina for the compassion that he showed that day.