It wasn’t in his job description. But that didn’t stop Officer Francisco Ruiz from stepping in.
While performing routine screening duties at his post at the IRS building in D.C., Officer Ruiz spotted something unusual: a man loitering near the employee bike rack, pacing back and forth, eyeing scooters and e-bikes like he was shopping.
Something felt off and Ruiz trusted his instincts.
“I just kept watching him. It was too suspicious,” he said. Moments later, the man ducked behind a nearby pillar and reached into his backpack. Ruiz stepped outside. The man emerged holding what looked like bolt cutters—only to freeze when he saw Ruiz standing in plain view.
That presence alone was enough to stop the theft.
The man quickly stashed his tool, grabbed a rentable scooter, and sped away. Ruiz had already notified the Command Center. “He had it down. I could tell this wasn’t his first time,” Ruiz noted. Turns out, Ruiz was right: the same man had been caught on security video stealing a bike from the same area months earlier.
Though the bike rack wasn’t part of his official post orders, Officer Ruiz took it upon himself to protect the people—and property—within his reach. “We’re not required to guard it,” he said. “But we keep an eye out as a courtesy. These employees see us every day.”
Officer Ruiz didn’t hesitate. He noticed what others might overlook—and acted when it counted. Hana is proud to recognize his vigilance with a well-earned SPOT Award.