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Woman thanks KPD officer for helping mow her lawn after mower was stolen

Officer Garrett Fontanez didn't know cameras were rolling when he went back to mow Betty Brown's lawn after her mower was stolen. 

A Knoxville Police Department officer didn't think twice when 76-year-old Betty Brown asked him to help her mow her lawn.

Officer Garrett Fontanez didn't know cameras were rolling when he spent his entire Tuesday mowing Brown's lawn.

"He didn’t get up and out there and say I’m cutting this grass see how much better I am. No, he just went on and did what he came to do," Brown said.

On Sunday, Brown flagged him down while he was responding to a noise complaint nearby. Brown told him she paid a man up front to cut her grass but instead he took her money and took off.

"You don’t find much of that anymore, not anymore. People will laugh, they’ll walk on, they’ll ask why don’t you? But not I will. I’ll assist you so I thought that was very very well done on him," Brown added.

Fontanez listened as she went on to tell her the man stole her push mower. He came back to cut her grass, didn't charge her a dime, and he vowed to help her keep it cut.

As for the man who allegedly robbed her of a fresh cut and her mower: Officer Fontanez is on the lookout. He hopes he can hold the alleged thief accountable for his uncaring and illegal actions.

"We see people generally at their worst and in their most difficult times and so we ask our officers to be cognizant of that and clearly, in this case he clearly took it to a different level understanding the situation that it was," Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch said.

Chief Rausch added he expects his officers to go the extra mile when they can. He said it's their hearts to do so.

"The reality is, what Garret did, is what officers do throughout this country. We have a heart for service. Why we get into this profession in the first place," Rausch said.

KPD took to Facebook Tuesday night to highlight the small gesture Fontanez thought was just another day on the job.

"This is just one example of KPD Officers going above and beyond their normal duties. Great job Officer Fontanez.#CommunityStrong #BeatIntegrity"

Brown said she couldn't be more appreciative for Fontanez's help.

"There are people that can just do right and be a blessing more than a blessing. More than a blessing," Brown said.

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