Slippery Rock Gazette

A Gwinnett County (Georgia) Sheriff's deputy is recovering at home thanks to three inmates who came to his rescue. 

The unnamed inmates noticed the deputy didn't seem well as he conducted security checks, the sheriff's office said in a July 28 statement, and then saw him lose consciousness and fall to the floor, "splitting his head open." The inmates began shouting and banging on their doors, which roused the deputy enough that he “thought an inmate needed help and somehow managed to rise to his feet and press the control panel to open cell doors.” The inmates rushed out and called for assistance as the deputy lost consciousness again, the Gwinnett Daily Post reported. “These inmates had no obligation whatsoever to render aid to a bleeding, vulnerable deputy, but they didn’t hesitate,” the sheriff’s office said. “We’re proud of them.

“These inmates came to his aid because our deputy, like most law enforcement officers, treats people with the dignity they deserve. Many people have strong opinions about law enforcement officers and criminals, but this incident clearly illustrates the potential goodness found in both.”

A study by Emery University found that if someone in prison receives the opportunity to learn an industrial skill or acquire knowledge in a specialized field, not only do they rarely return to prison (single digit percentage), but they also go on to build businesses, create jobs, and inspire their local communities.