Police knocked on the door, and this time, the visit brought nothing but thanks

A group of families received a Thanksgiving turkey and other dinner fixings Tuesday in a donation effort sponsored by officers in Fresno’s Northwest Policing District and Citizens on Patrol volunteers.

Citizens on Patrol’s Mary Torres said a dozen families were selected for this inaugural year’s giveaway.

“There’s a lot of tears today. People are extremely happy with what we are doing,” said police Lt. Joe Gomez, who helped organize the campaign.

Among those accepting the donated turkey, pie, rolls, corn and other goods was Angel Ruiz, 19. “I think it means a lot, especially for families who cannot afford it.”

Gomez noted how that “usually, we are going after suspects. But here is a different reason we are arriving at the house, so it’s really a happy time.”

This story was originally published November 21, 2017 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Police knocked on the door, and this time, the visit brought nothing but thanks."