FORREST CITY, Ark. — A Mid-South police department is making a unique offer to people staying home to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
For Forrest City residents out of groceries who don’t feel comfortable going out, two Forrest City police officers are volunteering to pick up groceries and deliver them to those residents’ doors.
At a crowded Walmart last month, Lt. Eric Varner took a bullet to save lives. Now, the Forrest City police officer is willing to take his chances against an invisible threat.
“If they don’t feel like getting out for obvious concerns with COVID-19 or the coronavirus going on, we’d be more than happy to go out, wear a pair of gloves and masks to get all their groceries and bring it back to them,” Varner said.
Both Varner and Sgt. Jeff Nichols made the offer Sunday. As of Monday, no one had taken them up on it, but they hope once word spreads, that changes.
“We have to be faced with the possibility of being exposed to coronavirus; that’s what we signed up for, that’s what we do, so we will take that chance for you,” Nichols said.
Anyone living in Forrest City can request the service by calling the police department.
Residents can make the process easier by placing orders and paying on the store’s website.
“We would prefer that they go through one of those avenues and pay the store upfront,” Nichols said. “If not, we’re more than willing to turn on the activated body camera and take the cash and handle it all and bring it all back to them.”
The Forrest City Police Department is trying to limit this to officers under the age of 50, as those older are more susceptible to coronavirus. They also stress they can’t order any of their officers to do this — they have to volunteer.
