This feel-good story out of Skokie highlights just one of the many instances when a police officer showed way more compassion than is usually expected. 

15-year-old Vincent Gonzales loves to play basketball. His talent has gotten him some attention from basketball scouts. He hopes that basketball could be his ticket to going to college.

The teenager would frequently sneak into the local X-Sport to play and would be routinely kicked out by management.  Management admitted that he wasn't causing a problem but they had rules to follow. They warned Gonzales that they would have to call the police if he continued to sneak into their facility.

Gonzales pushed his luck too far last week and forced X-Sport's to call the authorities.

ChicagoTribune - "I thought I was going to be arrested at the time" - Vincent Gonzales

After Officer Mario Valenti spoke with the boy and X-Sport management about the situation he did something no one expected. He pulled his credit card out and asked the front desk "What will $150 get this young man?" X-Sport then made some calls to upper management and they were able to get Vincent Gonzales a two year membership on the house.

Officer Valenti said that after years on the job he can tell the nature of a person pretty quick and that he saw a good person in Gonzales and he just needed a safe place to spend his free time.

It's just awesome to see a police officer get media attention for doing good instead of what we usually read in the news about cops.

Thank you, Officer Valenti and good luck to Vincent Gonzales in the future.

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