Being a police officer is hard work, since most people avoid cops even if they’re not doing anything wrong.
There is a method of police work that tries to make officers a larger presence in their localities, and not just to arrest people. Community policing has been shown to reduce crime rates and forge more trust in police officers. It’s a positive thing for everyone involved.
In Arkansas, Officer Tommy Norman is a prime example of the good that can come from police officers being heavily invested in their communities. He posts regularly on his Instagram, showcasing his interactions with members of the community where he works. People flock to take pictures with him wherever he goes. One story he shared, however, has really tugged at people’s heartstrings — and now kind strangers from around the world are stepping in to help.
Officer Norman stumbled upon a homeless pregnant mom named Jessica and her toddler, Kayla, sleeping on the sidewalk after they had stayed the maximum amount of time in the shelter.
Jessica had escaped domestic violence and was having trouble making it on her own. He helped Jessica and Kayla get lodging and food for a few days, knowing the baby would be coming within a week.
Sure enough, baby Xavier was born soon after. This struggling family was going to need a lot of help to stay afloat, so Officer Norman posted the things they needed online.
Boxes started pouring in from people around the globe who were moved by their story.
Everyone on the receiving end was blown away by their generosity.
Now Officer Norman and the community are helping Jessica and her precious children find permanent housing and employment. Learn more in the video below.
https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fhumankindvideos%2Fvideos%2F1536141316421512%2F&show_text=0&width=400
Here’s how they’re getting on since the kind police officer stepped in to help!
(via AJC.com)