In this highlight from Mic’d In New Haven, retired NYPD Detective Mike Moy shares a story that stayed with him long after the arrest itself was over.
Moy had arrested a young man in connection with a shooting. The man was convicted, spent several years in prison, and eventually returned home.
Years later, Moy was leaving Brooklyn’s 72nd Precinct, dressed in a suit and tie while working in the squad, when a man approached him and extended his hand.
At first, Moy didn’t recognize him.
Then the man reminded him who he was — the same person Moy had arrested years earlier.
What came next caught him completely off guard.
“I just want to thank you.”
When Moy asked why, the answer was simple:
For treating me with respect.
The man told Moy that he had turned his life around and left those days behind him.
For Moy, the encounter reinforced a philosophy he carried throughout his police career: you can do the job, make the arrest, and hold someone accountable without taking away their dignity.
Respect goes a long way.
VIEW INTERVIEW HERE:
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