With all the controversy surrounding police that’s inundated us, one story about an Alabama cop warms the heart.

Tarrant Alabama Police Officer William Stacey was called to the scene of a shoplifting incident that had taken place in a Dollar General Store involving 3 eggs.

Helen Johnson, the woman who was in the process of taking the eggs, told a local TV station that she and her family – that she shares with her niece, two daughters and two young grandchildren – “ate from day to day" due to her being out of work.

When she realized that she was 50 cents short of the amount of money she needed to buy a dozen eggs, she decided that since her grandchildren hadn’t eaten in 2 days, she’d lift 3 from a carton.

When Officer Stacey arrived upon her being caught, she thought for sure she was going to jail when he told her to wait in the parking lot.

Instead, he returned with a dozen eggs for her.

When the store decided not to press charges, Stacey paid for a dozen eggs himself.

"She tried to give me all the money she had," Stacy said. "It was about $1.25. I told her the best way to pay me back was to never do something like that again."

She said:

"He did something he didn't have to do. He just bought me eggs," Johnson said. "Any time you see the police, you're always afraid you've done something wrong, and they're after you and they're about to get you."

The kind act has reverberated around the country as Officer Stacey's act of kindness has benefitted more than just Johnson's family.

Folks from all over the country have been asking to donate either directly to Johnson or to the fire department's annual toy and food drive.

And for her part, Johnson promises to pay Stacey’s good deed forward.

For that reason we give props to Tarrant, Alabama Police Officer William Stacey.

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