Jim Fair
Sgt. Randle Ballenger enjoyed the camaraderie talking with drivers and their vintage automobiles.
Jim Fair
Drivers getting Chick-fil-A gift cards were reading the fine print to verify their authenticity.
Jim Fair
There was no explanation needed. Drivers expected more than a seat belt check and pulled out their driver's license and insurance.
Steve Owens / City of Greer
Everybody is happy with this "lemonade" stop.
The Greer Police Department traffic division making a seat belt safety check, rewarded drivers obeying the law with a Chick-fil-A of Greer gift card for a lemonade shake or parfait dessert. Children also buckled in properly were recipients of their driver’s safe practices.
“You know they’re (drivers) good when they want to hang around,” Sgt. Patrick Fortenberry said. Fortenberry and about a dozen police handed out about 200 gift cards within an hour.
Some drivers were apprehensive approaching the intersection with more than a half dozen police vehicles parked in a vacant lot and officers standing in the middle of each intersection. One driver was spotted making a quick turn about 100 yards away. Police did not give pursuit nor did they use their blue lights during the exercise.
Ballenger enjoyed watching the children receiving the gift cards. “Kids will remember this a long time,” he said. It was a win-win for officers rewarding drivers obeying the law and for the community to see officers.
Richardson said the driver’s comments were refreshing. “There were a lot of handshakes, a lot of praise and someone said, ‘We’re praying for you guys.’”
There were about a dozen drivers who nonchalantly approached without their driver’s license, insurance and one had an outstanding warrant.
They were asked to drive their vehicles into the makeshift parking lot while officers gifted them with the appropriate citation.