Kenyon police chief has adventure in D.C., but says 'there's no place like home'
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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