The off-duty officers ran into a family from a nearby town while in Maryland for the funeral of slain Officer Jacai Colson.
CHERRY HILL TOWNSHIP -- Four township police officers on a somber trip to Maryland for the funeral of slain police Detective Jacai Colson left with a heartwarming surprise thanks to fellow Camden County residents.
According to police, the four off-duty officers were in Prince George's County Friday to attend Colson's services, held nearly two weeks after the plainclothes narcotics detective was fatally shot by a fellow officer as Colson responded to an ambush at a police station.
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The Cherry Hill officers were eating lunch in Baltimore after the services when they ran into a family from Lindenwold, another town in Camden County, who were visiting the Inner Harbor.
The family told the officers to be safe and have a good day when they left, but it wasn't until they walked out that the officers were told the family had paid for their bill, writing "God bless you fellas!" on their receipt.
"The officers were shocked, yet extremely grateful," a post on the department's Facebook page stated, adding they ran outside to find them and "thank them for their kindhearted act."
The officers caught up a block away, thanked them, and gave the family's "thrilled" son a Cherry Hill police patch.
Michelle Caffrey may be reached at mcaffrey@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ShellyCaffrey. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.