Officers Pay Diner Bill for Couple Who Refused to Be Seated Next to Them

It’s no secret tensions between civilians and law enforcement are high following the shooting deaths of two black men last week and the subsequent attack on police at a Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas, Texas, on July 7, but a group of officers in rural Pennsylvania are hoping their story can help ease some of that strife.

The four officers were having dinner at the Eat N’ Park restaurant in Homestead, just outside of Pittsburgh, when a couple entered and was going to be seated right next to the officers. According to Fox 6, one of the patrons looked at the officers and said, “Nah, I don’t want to sit here.”

The officers took notice.

“I looked over and said, ‘It’s okay sir. You won’t have to worry about it. We won’t hurt you,'” said Homestead Police Officer Chuck Thomas, Fox 6 reported. “He looked at me hard again and said he’s not sitting here and walked away.”

But instead of taking offense to the couple’s wishes, the officers decided they were going to take the high road. They paid the couple’s bill, leaving a note on the receipt:

“Sir, your check was paid for by the police officers you didn’t want to sit next to. Thank you for your support.”

Reportedly, the couple did thank the officers for their kindness as the officers were leaving, but for Officer Thomas it was just one gesture to help regain the trust of the public.

“Essentially the whole goal of it was to let him know that we’re not here to hurt you,” Thomas said. “We’re here for you. We work for the public. And we just want to better the relationship between the community and the police.”