Cahokia Police Officer Pulls Over Teen On His Way To Job Interview, Gives Him A Ride Instead Of A Ticket

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Cahokia police officer put compassion and community policing on full display while on duty last week, when he offered a teen a ride to his job interview, rather than giving him a ticket for driving a car with expired plates and a damaged window.

Officer Roger Gemoules was on patrol on Wednesday when he noticed a teenager driving a car with a broken side window and an expired license plate.

The driver, Kshawn Ballwin, was driving the car because he had no other way to get to a job interview. He said, when he saw the officer's lights and heard sirens, he was afraid the car he had borrowed was about to get towed and he was about to go to jail.

"More tickets, more fines, that's all I was thinking about," Ballwin said.

Instead of writing him a ticket, Officer Gemoules – a school resource officer for the local school district – decided to give Ballwin a break. He followed him home, and offered him a ride to the job interview at FedEx.

"Something came upon me. God, whatever it was, and said 'give him a little break.' So that's what I did," Gemoules said.

The officer said he saw something in Ballwin that reminded him of his own struggles.

"You're just in the community, you get to see what goes along out here, so you have a good understanding, and my background … I can relate to him," he said. "It was difficult times sometimes."

Ballwin got the job, and said he'll be taking the bus to work until he saves enough money to buy a car of his own.

"It's good to see him get a job. To me, that's what makes me the happiest," said Gemoules.