Police Officer Ordered To Remove Boy Offering Yard Work Gifts Him With Gaming Console

Aug 02, 2023

A gamer is anyone who routinely plays games. Gamers are proactive hobbyists who play interactive games for long periods. Although gamers are mainly thought to be used in reference to video game players, they encompass players who play board games, skill-based card games, and tabletop role-playing games. 

There are so many misconceptions about gamers. People think gamers are restricted to a specific demographic, age group, gender, and personality type. But the 2021 Essential Facts About the Video Game Industry revealed that the average age of gamers is currently 227 million across all ages in the US, with 31 being the average age of gamers. Players are about half female (45%) and half male (55%). The data also revealed that 89% of players agree that video games are a unifier, bringing different types of people together and creating accessible experiences for people with different abilities.

While the gaming community has grown and continues attracting more people each year, researchers and psychologists often criticize it for limiting social interaction and bonds among gamers. However, a 2007 study from the University of Jyvaeskylae revealed that online multiplayer games support complex levels of communication, which is the most vital element of social interaction. It also revealed that players can form long-term bonds that transcend gaming platforms. 

In a Facebook post by the City of Hapeville Police on July 24, 2023, Police Officer Colleran, who is also a gamer, showed that gamers indeed form social bonds. Colleran surprised a young boy in Hapersvile, Georgia, with a PlayStation 5. Keep reading to learn more about this heartfelt story.

Colleran is proof that gamers are not introverts stuck all day on their screens without needing to build bonds with people in the outside world. A Facebook post by the Hapeville Police Department showed how the police officer changed the narrative while impacting a life. 

Per the post, Colleran was called on to remove a juvenile looking for work in a neighborhood. On contacting the juvenile, the police officer found he was looking for yard work to save for a video game console.

“Officer Colleran made contact with a young man that explained he was in the area because he wanted to do yard work: pulling weeds, cutting grass and trimming hedges to save up for a PlayStation,” the post read.

Colleran, impressed by the young man’s demeanor and being a gamer himself, decided to help him achieve his goal of getting him a PlayStation. To achieve this, the police officer collaborated with some friends. Not only were they able to get the lad a gaming console, but they also got him a membership card to get him started immediately. The post further revealed:

“The young man was polite, respectful and truthful. Officer Colleran, a gamer himself, was impressed with the young man and thought he would help him reach his goal. Officer Colleran and some of his friends were able to not only get this young man the video game system but a gift card to pay for the membership so he could play immediately.”

The video post showed the officer as he opened the trunk of his car to reveal a PlayStation 5 to the young man, who covered his face in surprise before melting into a hug with the officer.

What do you think of Officer Colleran going out of his way to buy a gaming console for the young man? Let us know and — and be