He was speeding, anxious to get back home to Palm Springs. He didn’t even argue when the motorcycle officer pulled him over.

But Palm Springs police officer Barry Dallas didn’t give him a ticket. Just a simple, but persuasive message enclosed in a Christmas card.

Call it Season’s Greetings from Palm Springs’ finest.

“Read it,” Dallas said before walking back to his bike.

“Normally, I would be writing you a citation for your violation. However, in the spirit of the season, I’m not.

“You might consider using part of the money you would have paid in the fine to buy a needy child a gift or a homeless person a hot meal. Merry Christmas.”

Barry Dallas, a traffic officer and 31-year Palm Springs police veteran, has been handing out the cards for some six years now with the blessing of the Palm Springs Police Department, giving holiday drivers a break in return for a good deed.

Trueblood, a marketing manager at The Desert Sun who moved to the Coachella Valley from Los Angeles just two months ago, was stunned.

And he took Dallas’ advice.

“They say the greatest way to pay back is to pass it along. Pass it on,” Trueblood said.
So, a check that would have gone to a court clerk in Palm Springs or Indio, instead went to the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission.

“Because of what happened, 50 people are going to have Christmas dinner. That’s more powerful than a ticket would be,” Trueblood said. “What his good deed did not only benefited me, but 50 people. It says a lot about the city. It makes me want to live here.”

During the Christmas holiday, that sinking feeling drivers get when they find red and blue lights filling their rear view mirror has been replaced with a smile and a sigh of relief.

Wayward drivers pulled over by Palm Springs police Christmas week aren’t handed a ticket — and the resultant triple-digit fine and court appearance — for their trouble.

“They normally get a citation, but due to the spirit of the season, we won’t give them a citation,” Dallas said. “About 90 percent show their appreciation.”

And for good reason. Traffic tickets aren’t cheap.

A typical traffic citation in Palm Springs will run the motorist anywhere from $180 to nearly $300.

But beyond economics, some see Dallas’ deeds as a sign or a chance to repay the favor.
He’s collected a number of stories over the years.

There was the parolee speeding up Indian Avenue last year who repaid Dallas’ card with his own good deed: gifts for children in Yucca Valley. Then there was the driver pulled over this week on 111. The driver’sHis next stop? A local toy store.

“It comes back positive for us,” Dallas said. “Maybe they’ll do something positive for us. Maybe they’ll do something for somebody else.”

On Monday, Dallas added one more story to his list.

And now, Trueblood has a holiday tale he can share.

“In the spirit of the season, he’s done the right thing,” Trueblood said of Dallas. “He said, ‘Read the card.’ He planted the seed.”