VIDEO: Ohio Deputy Surprises 9-Year-Old Running Lemonade Stand With Tablet
Video: Ohio Deputy Surprises 9-Year-Old Running Lemonade Stand With Tablet
On Monday, Lake County (Ohio) Sheriff's Deputy Zach Ropos stopped by 9-year-old Gabrielle's lemonade stand while on patrol. When she said she was saving up for a tablet, he bought her one.

On Monday, Lake County (Ohio) Sheriff's Deputy Zach Ropos stopped by 9-year-old Gabrielle's lemonade stand while on patrol in Painesville, Ohio, about 30 miles northeast of Cleveland.
"I see a little girl come running up to my police car," Ropos, 22, told ABC News. "She hands me a glass, I hand her a few bucks. I asked her what she wanted to do with the money ... she said she'd get an iPad, to help with school and play games."
The deputy initially planned to give the girl his old tablet, but found that it wasn't working anymore. The next day, Ropos found a store that agreed to contribute to the cost of a new tablet with him. Later Tuesday, Ropos met up with Gabrielle and her mother.
"I talked to the little girl, gave her a speech about how courageous and admirable I think her efforts were to save up her money," Ropos said. "I asked her how much she saved up, and she said she only had a few dollars."
Gabrielle explained to Ropos that her mother's car ran out of gas, so the child gave up her hard-earned money to fill the tank.
"When she told me she gave the money to her mom ... that's when I almost started crying because of how great of a kid she really was," Ropos said.
Ropos handed over the tablet in a sweet moment captured on camera by a co-worker.
More Patrol

Safariland Solis Rethinks Concealable Duty
What if Level I retention didn’t require a full duty rig? Safariland’s Solis delivers trusted ALS security in a streamlined OWB platform built for administrative and plainclothes professionals who need protection without the bulk.
Read More →
K-9s Play a Critical Role in Finding Missing Persons
Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.
Read More →
Garmont Tactical’s LE Boot Lineup
In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.
Read More →
Avon Protection Launches EXOSKIN-S2 High-Performance CBRN Protective Suit
With the commercial availability of Avon Protection’s EXOSKIN-S2, users now have increased options for their protective suit requirements across the spectrum of CBRN threat environments.
Read More →
Versaterm Acquires Aloft to Unlock a New Era of Drones for Public Safety
Versaterm has acquired Aloft, an FAA-approved Unmanned Service Supplier (USS) that specializes in real-time airspace intelligence and flight authorizations.
Read More →
Versaterm Launches Innovation Summit for Public Safety Drone Operations
The two-day DroneSense Innovation Summit by Versaterm will bring together public safety and industry experts to define best practices for scaling drone operations.
Read More →
What Makes a Good LE Boot?
Learn what makes a boot good for police officers as POLICE visits with Kyle Ferdyn, of Garmont Tactical, who explains the features of boots and why each is needed in an LE boot.
Read More →
Folds of Honor Opens Scholarship Application for Children and Spouses of Fallen or Disabled Service Members and First Responders
The application period for the Folds of Honor scholarship program is now open through the end of March. Scholarships support students from early education through postsecondary studies, easing the financial burden for families who have given so much in service to others.
Read More →
Team Wendy Now on GovX: Faster Verification and Discount Access for Eligible Professionals
With GovX verification now integrated directly into the Team Wendy checkout experience, eligible customers can confirm their status in just a few clicks and have the discount applied automatically.
Read More →
5.11 Debuts 2026 Footwear & Apparel at SHOT Show
5.11 showcased new apparel and footwear products during SHOT Show 2026, including new color options for the A/T Boa Lite Mid Boot and the Founder’s Jacket.
Read More →