Crime & Safety

Shaq Surprises Lawrenceville Police After Irma

The basketball great was in town to film a distracted-driving public service announcement.

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — After long hours helping Gwinnett County recover from Hurricane Irma, police officers got a surprise visit from a famous fan of their work.

Basketball great Shaquille O'Neal was in Lawrenceville on Wednesday to film a public service announcement on distracted driving. While there, he took a break to pose for photos with officers.

"After a very long few days of responding to Hurricane Irma emergency calls, it was a nice quick break for a photo," the department said on its Facebook page.

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O'Neal, a four-time NBA champion and 15-time All Star, has a well-known interest in law enforcement. He is an honorary officer with several departments, including the Clayton County Sheriff's Office, where he was sworn in as an honorary deputy in 2016.

He has said he's considering running for sheriff of Henry County in 2020.

Find out what's happening in Lawrencevillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.


Read: Shaquille O'Neal New Owner Of Iconic Krispy Kreme Location In Atlanta


The visit from the 7-foot-1 basketball legend was received well by the department's Facebook followers.

"Good shot guys," one follower wrote. "I don't know how tall you guys are... but God you suddenly look much smaller."


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Photo courtesy Lawrenceville Police Department

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