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VICTORVILLE, Calif. – A chance encounter with the right CHP officer may keep a 2-year-old a bit safer when riding with his parents in their vehicle.

Victorville CHP Officer Mendez stopped a Pontiac Grand Prix which appeared to have expired registration tags. When the vehicle stopped, he made contact with Teddy and learned that he had just been at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). While speaking with Teddy, Officer Mendez noticed that Teddy’s 2-year-old son, Terry was in the backseat sitting in a car seat that was not suitable for his size. Teddy was given a verbal warning.

Officer Mendez is also a certified child passenger safety seat technician so he wanted to help Teddy and his child out. He contacted the Victorville CHP’s safety seat coordinator who was able to provide the correct car seat that Terry needed. Officer Mendez delivered and installed the car seat to the very happy parents and toddler. In addition, he gave Teddy some hot wheels that were donated during the CHiPs for Kids Program last year.

“We have absolutely the best CHP officers in the entire state,” said Shari Kidwell on a Facebook post. “Acts like this teach far more than a ticket and earns the public’s respect.” Although, most shared the sentiment, there were those like Jack Koebig Jr. and Edward S. Zahar, who felt the positive post was their opportunity to rebuke the young parents.

“I call him just being LAZY , the usual suspects,” said Koebig on the Facebook post. He also called the father of the child lazy and criticized him for not knowing the proper size car seat for his child. Zahar felt they should have been ticketed, pointing out that their wrongs in his opinion. “They should get a ticket, I am sure they have money for other things but not for a proper child car seat,” he said on the CHP Facebook post.

The car seat was provided by a grant given by NHTSA through the California Office of Traffic Safety.