Fort Worth

Fort Worth Woman Tracks Down Officers to Thank Them for Taking Her to Jail

A Fort Worth woman made a dozen phone calls to track down the police officers who took her to jail last month, all to say thank you. The heartfelt reunion was a first, and a welcome change of pace for the officers.

The last time police pulled up Julie Schott’s North Fort Worth street, they were responding to help a woman who was disoriented, having a panic attack and was possibly suicidal.

On Thursday night they made the trip to answer a very different call.

"Oh my god, so happy to see you guys!" Schott said, opening the door to the four officers.

She’d tracked them down to thank them for taking her to jail.

"It was the best thing that ever happened to me," Schott said.

The officers had planned to take her to the hospital, but on the way she told them she had a warrant for her arrest. So they re-routed to seek mental health treatment in the Tarrant County Jail.

"It's all I could think about in jail is how much I wanted to reach out to the officers that were so gracious and empathetic," Schott said.

Schott had been skipping probation meetings for months for a past charge of stealing someone's I.D. Off her medication for mental illness and on a dark path, she says jail time was the shock she needed.

"Guilt, shame, sorrow, just knowing what's right and what's wrong and realizing that and wanting to take ownership," Schott said.

As for the officers…

"This is a first for any of us, that somebody has reached out to us," said Officer John Oldham.

The gratitude is a refreshing change.

"After all this is resolved, after everything is done if it did turn out positively for somebody, we don't ever hear anything about it," Officer Oldham said.

Two of the officers are still in field training. They say they'll remember this their whole careers.

"Especially when the job gets tough and I'm like man, thinking back to it, this will definitely pop up and help me remember that there are people that do appreciate the work," said Officer Virginia Vergara.

A life-changing moment worth holding on to.

"You made a difference in my life," Schott told the officers.

Schott had her probation extended because of her violations. She says she wants to make up for her past wrongs. She joined a church where she was recently baptized and is hoping for a fresh start.

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