It was a full-circle moment for a Miami Gardens police sergeant.
Sgt. Emmanuel Jeanty used to work at a McDonald's in North Miami when he was a high school student. Now, he's a 9-year veteran of the police department, with four as a supervisor.
On Wednesday, Jeanty was recognized for his efforts back then, while also helping bring the community closer to the people committed to his current profession.
Amid smiling onlookers at a Miami Gardens McDonald's, Jeanty received a special jacket that honors the one in eight Americans that have worked with the fast food chain.
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“The skill set I use today as a police officer started at McDonald’s,” he said in a news release. “I grew up in that area, and it was my first job. It taught me to be on time, do the job right, get the answers when you did not know them and work with others as part of a team... You also learned the importance of safety.”
But that's not all the event entailed.
It was also an opportunity to allow residents to get to know the people who are in charge of protecting them in celebration of National Coffee with a Cop day.