Kenyon police chief Lee Sjolander has been sharing his experiences of his trip to Washington D.C. on the department's Facebook page – and they're utterly charming.
Sjolander was invited to the U.S. Capitol building to take part in a briefing to discuss ways to build confidence between civilians and police.
The invite from the White House followed a compassionate Facebook post the police chief wrote last week in which he reached out to a local Kenyon couple who had been squatting in a storm shelter.
https://www.facebook.com/166558279763/photos/a.10151254394209764.487089.166558279763/10154303917504764/?type=3&theater
He kept a running diary of his time in the capital, describing the people he met along the way. They're really great updates, so here are some of our favorite lines:
Getting a taxi from the airport
"I tried real hard to not look like I was from such a small town, but as we walked up to his very nice large black vehicle with tinted windows, I had to tell him that I didn't have a lot of money, and if this was going to be expensive, I would just take a taxi."
An evening stroll
"I spent the rest of the evening walking around our nations capital. I stopped to visit with police officers from the Secret Service along my journey. I introduced myself, shook their hand, thanked them for their service, and went on my way. Some of them looked surprised. Maybe they've never heard of Minnesota nice :-)"
Missing home
"While this has been an amazing adventure for me, and I owe it all to so many people, I can't wait to get back to my small corner of the world. I miss my family, my fur babies, my coworkers, and the citizens that we serve."
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New people he's observed
"GQ looking man who walks laps around his office while on his phone. He has a large bookcase that's filled from top to bottom and I bet he's read every book there."
"My favorite is the older gentleman who shuffles along emptying trash cans from office to office. He just seems like he has a story to tell and I'm sad I'll never hear it because we are separated by Pennsylvania Ave., steel, brick, and glass."
Returning home
"Well, I made it back to Minnesota safe and sound. While I really enjoyed my time away, it's true that there is no place like home."
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10154306157194764&id=166558279763
By the way, Sjolander's initial post about the squatters has led to a local company offering them work. The police chief shared the offer on the Facebook page in the hope it reaches them.
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