IOWA CITY — A Georgia-bound family was facing $1,200 in citations after a traffic stop last week.

Instead, they headed home with four new car seats for their children, thanks to the efforts of a University of Iowa police officer.

Officer Don Strong, who has been with UIPD since February after serving five years with the University Heights Police Department, was on patrol around 10 p.m. on October 29 when he stopped a Suburban for a broken brake light. Strong said when he spoke with the female driver, he noted there two other adults in the car and six children — none of which were properly secured.

“None of the kids were restrained,” Strong said. “Speaking with the family, they seemed like a good group.”

Strong learned the father of the children had been doing some work at the university and were heading back to Georgia, where the family home-schooled their 10 children. With six unsecured children, the family was facing $1,200 in citations, Strong said.

“Giving them $1,200 in citations is not going to get them any closer to getting new car seats or getting them properly put in,” he said. “If we educate them and get them on the right path, that’s what we’re here for. We’re not here to write everyone a ticket. We’re here to educate and keep everyone safe, especially kids.”

Strong — who is trained in car seat installation — called around and tried to line up car seats for the children. UIPD Chief Lucy Wiederholt said police officers can call Iowa City Fire Station No. 4, which has access to car seats. However, Strong said his efforts were unsuccessful.

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Determined to get the family safely on their way, Stong and another officer escorted the family to the Iowa City Wal-Mart. There, Strong purchased three booster seats and a convertible car seat — out of pocket — for the family. He then went out, set up the seats and instructed the family on proper installation. The father went in to buy a new brake light, which was also installed.

“They were just real appreciative,” Strong said of the family. “They were really happy that I was taking the time to show them how to properly do it ... That’s a long haul, Iowa to Georgia.”

Wiederholt said she was not surprised to hear about Strong’s efforts to help the family.

“He’s a pretty impressive officer,” she said. “He’s just a kindhearted guy ... I know it’s a passion for him, the child safety seat. He feels very strongly about it.”

While stories of improper police actions have dominated headlines across the country in the last year, Strong — who bought a car seat for a young child several years ago — said instances like these happen all the time. The public just rarely hears about it.

“We just don’t talk about it,” he said. “We just don’t go around bragging about it.”

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