Fort Worth police department handing out turkeys instead of tickets

(Courtesy Fort Worth Police Department)

In desperate need of a Thanksgiving bird? Try committing a minor traffic violation.

Fort Worth residents may be rushing around town to score holiday meal supplies—but it turns out the local police department wants to help out, too

Since Wednesday, Fort Worth police have been pulling over drivers for minor traffic violations but instead of writing them up for a missing a stop sign or failing to wear a seatbelt, the cops have been handing over frozen turkeys.

VIRGINIA POLICE PLAY SWEET SUMMERTIME PRANK ON UNSUSPECTING DRIVERS

Texas resident Jacoby Williams told FOX 4 he was pulled over for not having a front license plate. The officer pulled him over, asked him to roll down his window but instead of taking down his information to issue a ticket, the policeman handed him a frozen turkey.

Williams says he was shocked, but very pleased by gesture.

“Not really sure all my wife has planned. We may fry it. May give it away,” Williams told the station. “It's a good, very cool thing that they're doing.”

The Fort Worth Police Department originally received the turkeys as a donation from local supermarkets and is hoping to spread some early holiday cheer.

Officer Anthony Colter was excited about being able to surprise some unsuspecting drivers.

"Even though we do enforce traffic law and we do have some unpleasant decisions to make, we still are about the people," Colter told WFAA.

THE ABSOLUTE BEST WAY TO THAW A THANKSGIVING TURKEY

Last week, the officer says he personally made five stops over violations ranging from failing to utilize a turn signal to not wearing a seat belt. At each stop, he handed over a bird to the unsuspecting driver.

"We're going to overlook that," he told a driver. "Instead of giving out citations, we're going to give you a Thanksgiving turkey!"

One driver who was pulled over, Sherman Pitt, didn’t put on his seatbelt since he was going a short distance. As a pastor of the Kingdom Tabernacle Deliverance Center in Forth, Pitt says his church has been collecting clothing and food to help those in need during the holidays.

"That's a blessing,” he said of the surprise turkey gift during the police stop. “We're giving these away, so that works."

Fort Worth officers say they gave away about 25 turkeys in several areas of the city.