SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- An off-duty California Highway Patrol officer is being praised for her integrity after she returned $120,000 to its rightful owner after finding it on the roadside.

The sergeant, who asked not to be identified in the media, was driving in Concord, Calif., in September when she had to swerve to avoid two large bank deposit bags in the road. She took a U-turn to pick them up and found a large amount of cash equalling more than $120,000.


She reported the money and the police were able to track down the owner.

Her friend and children could not believe she returned the money but the officer, who was raised by a single mother in Los Angeles, said it was an opportunity to be an example for her children and teach them a lesson.

"There was no one on that street after I had come back, nobody would have known," she said. "But that's what determines a person's integrity, it's what you do when nobody is looking."

The sergeant was praised by her superiors.

"On too many occasions our personnel do not pause to be recognized as they feel they were simply doing their job." said CHP Golden Gate Division Chief Avery Browne.