The Twitter community has rallied to support a UK police officer, who says he was verbally abused by a member of the public while shopping in a supermarket in his uniform.
Police constable Dan Healey, attached to the Lincolnshire Police Department, gave his account online of being accosted by a man while shopping for a salad.
“Just been verbally abused at a supermarket from a member of the public for being in uniform and buying my dinner,” he told his followers.
“Police officers are human too and also need food to survive. I’d help you in a heartbeat if you needed us, not because of my job but because I’m a human who cares,” he said.
According to the community response officer, the man who confronted him did not use foul language, that would have been deemed a public order offence. However, Healey said that what the man did say was “not nice.”
Healey’s Twitter post has garnered a number of supportive messages. One person wrote: “You wanted to buy your own dinner… in uniform? Good grief what on earth is wrong with some people?”
Another Twitter user added: “I really don’t understand people like that. I’m sure they’re in the small-minded minority, most of us support you wholeheartedly.”
Healey has thanked people for their supportive messages.