TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Hurricane Michael is long gone but communities are still trying to piece together what they once had.
Tallahassee Police officers went to one of the most devastated areas to do what they do best: serve and protect.
The Big Bend was hit hard by Hurricane Michael. But only a few counties felt the Category 4 storm the way Jackson County did.
After Michael passed, many Florida counties and even other states sent law enforcement officers to help rebuild Jackson County.
"We get into this job to serve and protect so not only to serve and protect our own communities but also to go outside of our communities and serve and protect other communities, help our brothers and sisters that were there, so it was a great opportunity," said Patrol Officer Sean Wyman.
Wyman and Maria Mercurio were part of a group from TPD that was sent to help with security in a county where many buildings were destroyed.
"You got a lot of people that are going in there that you know they are impoverished right now and they are looking for resources so they are looking to take what they can get so basically do criminal activities," said Wyman.
While security may have been the number one role for TPD officers, Mercurio said bringing joy to those who needed it provided the most fulfillment.
"I was able to hand out some teddy bears some things that don't necessarily need to sustain but again to put a smile on someone's face when they are going through such a devastation," said Mercurio.
