Officer Draws Praise for Helping Elderly Man With ID Problems

[left-of-center2012]

Recently, an unidentified man walked into his local Bank of America branch to withdraw funds from his account.

The 92-year-old Montebello, California, native thought it would be a routine transaction, but when he handed his identification over to the teller, he was told that it had expired and they would not be able to complete his request.
The elderly gentleman grew confused and eventually more agitated.

The bank, unable to clarify the problem with the man or calm him, called the police.

Officer Robert Josett responded to the scene. Getting to the bottom of the problem, the officer learned that the elderly gentleman’s ID had expired and per the bank’s policy, they were unable to legitimately process the man’s withdrawal request.

Knowing his hands were tied due to the bank’s policy, Officer Josett escorted the man out of the bank, but instead of just sending him on his way, Josett did something nobody expected.
Before the bank closed that day, Officer Josett came back to the bank with the same elderly gentleman at his side. The two went to a bank teller, presented the man’s identification, and the teller was happy to process the transaction.

What they learned was that Officer Josett had driven the 92-year-old to the Department of Motor Vehicles and assisted the man in renewing his license.

Josett showed that “to serve and protect” isn’t just about stopping criminals. Sometimes it’s about the little things.

[Break time]

1. That BS

Just because the license had "expired" does no negate the fact that is still identifies the person using it All other data contained in it is still valid..He had not yet expired....

[left-of-center2012]

4. A couple points ...

1. As stated in the article, it was a state I.D. and not a license
2. The bank required a valid I.D., and an expired one is not 'valid'.

[NCjack]

8. That customer needs to find a better bank. I used my expired passport as ID to open

a bank account. The manager said "no problem -- an expired passport is valid ID, but no longer valid for international travel."

[Corvo Bianco]

10. IDs aren't valid once they're expired.

The teller could lose their job. There is no gray area in federally insured banks' identification policies.

I'm very glad the man got the assistance he needed.

[sarah FAILIN]

14. Makes sense to me, but...

They are sticklers. If I go to vote and my id is expired, I would also be turned away. Stinks.

[Jim Beard]

2. The guys that were the suits don't give a damn and if a compassionate cashier

does help him, the suits are happy to fire them.

There have been several corporate types that I would like to kick in the balls.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. It is utterly ridiculous that an expired

driver's license or passport is not still considered valid ID.

Here in New Mexico the new rules make it ludicrously difficult for anyone to renew a license these days. And you'd better not have the tiniest discrepancy between all of the documents you need to produce, such as one includes your full middle name and another only your middle initial. We keep on hearing and reading all sorts of horror stories about people making multiple visits to the DMV.

[TheKingofSoup]

5. Maybe

some outrage could be channeled to the states that put an expiration date on ID cards that confer no privileges other than establishing identity?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

12. If I tried to use an ID that was issued in 1990, it would still be me. However, ...

... the photo might not bear any resemblance to my current face.

Some sort of expiration makes sense.

[crazycatlady]

18. My passport was issued in 1990

I was in 4th grade. You can still tell it is me, but I've obviously grown up since then.

(I haven't traveled internationally so that is the only passport I've had).

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

19. Do you need a passport to fly domestic?

Some states' driver licenses are usable, some not. Passports (current ones) are always good. I drive to Canada occasionally, so I need to keep mine current.

(Canada is a 25 minute drive from my house, so not a big deal to go there)

[crazycatlady]

22. I have a (renewed this year) NJ drivers license

I was last on a domestic flight last year and that allowed me to board the plane.


ETA I don't have a passport because I don't want to pay for something that I don't have an immediate use for. As an adult, I've never left the country. I've come to terms that I'm not going to see the world, so instead my goal is to see all 50 states (31 or 33 down so far).

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

24. Best of luck on your quest to see the states

It inspired me to count my own "state visits". I have 39, including a few days at Fort Dix, NJ, awaiting military transport to Germany, and a few days in Paramus for work.

I'd like to see more of the world, but I don't much care for flying anymore.

[ProudLib72]

6. Some time after the officer and elderly man had left to get a new ID

four armed men robbed the bank. The bank called the police, but since the police were helping the elderly man obtain a new ID, no one was available to assist the bank with their robbery issue. Bank spokesperson Cash Moneypincher stated, "We have to follow the rules. It's not our fault. Who let this old man out of the house anyway?"

[montana_hazeleyes]

28. " Cash Moneypincher"

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. Is this news because the old man wasn't shot?

[ret5hd]

9. well, he looks white, so little danger of that.

[LeftInTX]

15. Rangel is a Spanish surname

Have no idea if "Rangel 5" is a pro-sports player, family member or what.

[Corvo Bianco]

11. I think it's because people don't always go out of their way

To take senior citizens they don't know to renew their shiz.

[Grammy23]

13. In 2003 when my elderly mom came to live with me,

she needed a Florida ID. Her Mississippi driver’s license was expired and she had no need for a driver’s license. Among her papers, I found her old passport, also expired. But the DL bureau that issued driver’s licenses and state ID cards would accept her old passport as proof of identity. We got the ID processed with a current photo and it cost about $3.00 I think the cost in Florida has gone up but they still issue ID cards to the best of my knowledge.

[Stinky The Clown]

16. The proper response to this story is: "Ofcr Josett did the right thing for a citizen."

"Good for Officer Josett!"

Instead we get all sorts of marginal comments.

[Blue_Adept]

21. It's the danger of being so full of anger in general, more so these days

And with so many feeling like they can't make jokes anymore as well because of how it would be perceived (rightly or wrong, there's a lot of subjective aspects there), the default becomes snark or derailing comments.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

25. Thank you for re-focusing on the story's point. nt

[steve2470]

32. absolutely, he did what a good cop SHOULD do

I'm sure there are many similar stories that never make the light of day.

[left-of-center2012]

17. Wow. Nice story gets hateful responses from some in DU

Some may benefit from an antacid or laxative?

[ret5hd]

23. "Some" may benefit if these types of stories were so common they weren't news.

Just sayin'.

[LAS14]

20. Happy to K & R!!

[bagelsforbreakfast]

26. Best story I've read this year! Should get a promotion! n/m

[Gothmog]

27. Thank you for posting this-it made me smile

This story is so great that it makes me smile

[miyazaki]

29. BofA for you. Continuously ranked as the worst in the nation. n/t

[left-of-center2012]

30. I went into one about 30 years ago

I wanted to buy a $10 roll of quarters to do my laundry.
(I had a $10 bill)

They refused me because I didn't have an account with them.

[steve2470]

31. Good cops need to get publicity, and he's a good cop

He could have easily said oh well, sir, not my problem, have a good day, and left. Pretty callous but he could have done that.