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FROM STAFF REPORTS / Editorial 

While we continue to see divide among the public and police in many parts of the country, some are going above and beyond to fix those divides, and the city of Helena and Helena Police Department are doing just that.

While the city recently decided to create a board to focus on becoming a more inclusive community known as the Diversity and Inclusion Board, the police department recently donated more than $1,000 to help raise awareness for autism.

HPD raised $1,815 during the month of April by selling special patches that had Helena Police on them and the famed colored puzzle pieces representing autism awareness.

They did so to raise awareness during Autism Awareness Month and concluded the month by presenting the check to United Ability in Birmingham—a nonprofit organization that connects people with disabilities to their communities and empowers individuals.

During the presentation, HPD officers not only presented a check to the organization, but fist bumped some of the kids and gave them tours of the patrol car.

The kids grinned from ear to ear and looked on in awe, while the officers put the smiles there by going out of their way to make their day.

It was a moment of building a stronger community in Helena and beyond, showing the officers are there for more than just giving out tickets and making arrests.

The police department could have mailed the check or just dropped it off and gotten back to their day, but they made sure to take time out of their day to put a smile on the face of others.

That common good is something we need to see more of, not just from police, but from all of us on a daily basis.