BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A reported burglary to the Bethlehem Police Department has put an officer in the spotlight — again.
Police are praising Officer Josh Hobson for being a textbook example of community policing.
The department on social media said Hobson was working an overtime shift when he responded to a call for a reported burglary — later described as "a suspicious circumstance involving an elderly resident who was deeply concerned about the lock on her front door."
Hobson determined an improper lock was installed on the door, police said, leaving the resident feeling so unsafe "that she had been sleeping in her living room out of fear someone might enter."
"Recognizing her distress, Officer Hobson didn't stop at taking a report," police said in a Facebook post.
"So when we say community policing, it's not just hollow words or something that we took from a textbook. We actually mean that we are engaging with our community."Capt. William Audelo, Bethlehem Police Department
Instead, he purchased a proper lock from The Home Depot and installed it himself.
Community policing
Captain William Audelo said the incident highlights "90% of what we do" — community policing.
"We're much more likely to give directions than we are to ever make an arrest," Audelo said. "So when we say community policing, it's not just hollow words or something that we took from a textbook. We actually mean that we are engaging with our community.
"We're doing what we can to make a difference in their lives, and we're really trying to get the community on board with a lot of the bigger picture ideas that we have — whether that's pedestrian safety, aggressive driving, making sure that their homes are prepared and defended against potential burglaries."
With the department for over a decade, Hobson serves as a role model for younger officers, Audelo said.
"He's extremely approachable, he's extremely friendly, which sometimes when people see him — he's very big, he's very muscular — and they don't know that he's just this giant teddy bear always there and willing to help," Audelo said. "So, yeah, he's definitely somebody that we're very proud of."
This is not the first time Hobson has found himself in the community spotlight.
Audelo said the department also applauded him alongside Officer Andrew Wirth for their actions when responding last May to the Five10 Flats apartment fire in Bethlehem.
"Amid thick smoke and flames, they discovered an elderly wheelchair-bound resident trapped on the 5th floor with no safe way out," a Facebook post from the department says. "Without hesitation, they worked together to carry her down five flights of stairs — ensuring she made it out safely and without injury."
Residents praised Hobson on social media, with positive reviews coming all the way from Florida.
Seven Sirens Brewing Co. shared its own social media post about the longtime Bethlehem officer, saying "some days, community shows up in the smallest moments."
"We're proud of Bethlehem," the Seven Sirens post says. "We're proud of the people who protect it. And we're proud of the first responders who lead with empathy, not ego.
"That's the kind of 'above and beyond' that actually matters."
