Richmond police officer helps family in need

RICHMOND, TX (KTRK) -- A Richmond police officer went beyond his duty as an officer by helping a family in need.

Shahid Mauldin and his three children moved to Richmond several months ago. Mauldin has been trying to find a job since then. His interaction with Officer Chad Petty surprised him.

"There's been a lot of tension going on, especially between the racial divide," Mauldin said. "I mean we're a black family, obviously, and he's a Caucasian man who comes with a badge in a suit."

Officer Petty responded to a welfare check and found that Mauldin and his three children had only one mattress to share, and they were in need.

"I could tell he was doing everything he could to support the kids," Mauldin said. "I wanted to help."

On his day off, Petty brought the family two mattresses from his home and gave the kids his old x-Box. He also bought them a TV -- they didn't have one before.

"When he brought us all the stuff, mostly like the x-Box and the controllers, that was pretty cool," 13-year-old Shahien Mauldin said, "because we got to play a lot of games."

Mauldin said he can't thank Officer Petty enough.

"It wasn't him being a cop," Mauldin said. "It was him being human."

The Richmond Police Department is collecting more donations for the family Saturday, August 8th, from 9 am to noon at Richmond City Hall. Mauldin has two teenage boys and a girl. They will start school soon.