CITY POLICEMAN OFFERS HELP IN FINDING UNEMPLOYED JOBS

Corea Woods has an uncomplimentary nickname for Cape Girardeau police officer Chris Muench, who arrested her this week. But she still likes him. Muench is trying to get her a job.

"He's cool," Woods said.

Although Muench is not offering job leads to everyone he arrests, he said it is a help to some.

After stopping to talk with a manager from a High Ridge construction company working in South Cape Girardeau last week, Muench learned that he couldn't find enough people to work for $8 an hour.

"This was one of the concerns that people mentioned when Time magazine was at the Show Me Center," said Muench, referring to an April forum on community policing. "There are a lack of jobs in the South Cape community."

Muench has taken to mentioning the job opportunity when he feels it's appropriate.

Recently he responded to a minor domestic disturbance. After talking with family members, he asked a man whether he had a job.

"The guy said he needed a job and that he figured it would make his family better," Muench said.

He has told other police who work in South Cape about the job opportunity. Muench doesn't know if anyone has taken advantage of it yet.

"This is not something formalized," he said. "It's just part of our bag of goodies. It allows us to offer some people some help."

Woods had told Muench that she wasn't interested in digging ditches for $8 an hour. But with assistance from officer Ike Hammonds, he did get her to apply at Fred's dollar store at William and Sprigg streets.

"When I arrested her she said she doesn't have a job, she doesn't have a car, and she didn't know where to start," Muench said. "But this store is just down the street from her. She could walk. So it's a start."

Muench has found additional ways to be merciful this week by handing out yellow tickets for Random Acts of Kindness week.

The tickets have been more of a testimony to Muench's kindness.

The officer recalled a teen-age boy who cruised up to a stop sign at Kingshighway and Thomas Drive on Wednesday. Rather than giving him a ticket with a $71 fine, he was cited with a Random Act of Kindness ticket.

"He shook my hand and said, 'Officer, I really appreciate this,'" Muench said. "I think it got through to him."

On Friday Muench stopped a woman driving on Sprigg Street. He noticed her child was not sitting in the car seat. As Muench talked with the woman, she explained that the license plates on her car had been taken off another car of hers. But she said this was only temporary.

Muench handed her a Random Act of Kindness ticket before walking back to his car.

"That really was kindness," he said.