A police officer’s principal duty is to protect the public and their possessions. On the other hand, one Virginia law enforcement official is ready to go above and beyond the call of duty if it means doing something for which he was not formally educated.
Sgt. C.B. Fleming of the South Hill Police Department was called to investigate a gas leak at a complex on Valentine’s Day. At last, it was determined that the reported leak was really a false alarm.
Fleming was supposed to leave after securing the area, but instead, he lay on the ground and began playing with dolls with the local kids.
Outside of the complex, he coloured with the kids and even played with dolls with the females.
The mother of one of the girls, Iesha Roper-Boswell, filmed the touching exchange and shared it on Facebook.
The footage went viral, as predicted, and the helpful police officer got several heartfelt notes from grateful viewers.
When the police officer found out about the viral post, he was overcome with gratitude and humility. His words:
I know you all give me a lot more credit than I deserve, but I really do appreciate all the support. As an added bonus, who doesn’t like some time spent colouring and playing with children? In all likelihood, it’s my favourite activity. I can’t believe that they let me play with them and were so kind to this day.
According to Roper-interview Boswell with CNN station WTVR, she informed the officer that her daughter, niece, and other local youngsters were terrified of the police. It was incredible that my niece didn’t cry when he came over and played with them, so I decided to record the scene.
Police Officer Fleming engaged the kids in activities to reassure them that they were in a safe environment.
“When I went into this profession, I understood there was something more, other than simply issuing tickets and being the evil guy all the time,” he said. If I could improve someone else’s day, I would consider it a success.
As a result of Officer Fleming’s time spent with the kids, playing dolls with them, the kids started to see him as a “superhero” in their own right.
The 42-year-old officer, who is about to celebrate 15 years on the job, has a soft spot for kids.
He’s great. That’s the best way to put it,” Roper-Boswell remarked of C.B. “The way he connects with the kids is quite remarkable.”
Police Officer Fleming would want to see a shift in public opinion of the police force as a result of his own actions and those of his colleagues
As Fleming put it, “we had a lot of calls here when I first began.” I believed there was some good I could do if I could establish myself as a safe person they could confide in and approach with questions.
More than everything, he wants people of all ages to know they can turn to him for help.
U.S. society would benefit greatly from having more police officers like C.B. Fleming. We share his hope for a community-police interaction free of animosity and characterized by trust and respect.
