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Officer Quincy Smith, with the Matthews Police Department, truly is an inspiration.
Returning to duty, after being shot by a suspect in his neck and arm while out on a call in 2016 in small-town Estill, South Carolina. Smith says it's "his calling to be an officer."
To help pull off the surprise, Matthews Police Department spokesperson Tim Aycock called Smith on his day off. He asked him to come to the police station to take publicity photos. Aycock also planned to have Smith help a fellow officer on a traffic stop who needed his help.
"There's some issue with a car out here she's got stopped. Just one female. She's a really nice lady. She said there's something going on with the registration. So will you back her up when you get over here?" Aycock said when he called Smith on the phone.
Smith responded to the scene of the staged traffic stop within minutes.
The officer explained to Smith that she stopped the car because of the registration.
"She's not the owner of the car. I'm really confused by what she's telling me about the car," the officer told Smith. "I just wanted to see if you can talk to her real quick and see what you can get from her."
And that's where WCNC Charlotte stepped in as she was waiting in a brand new 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe.
Fellow officers and representatives from Charlotte Area Hyundai Dealers walked out of the building with thunderous applause for Smith.
Smith is the son of a former NYPD officer and said protecting and serving the community is in his blood, and he's glad to continue his career in law enforcement.
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