An act of kindness ...

[Hum]

A photo of a New York City police officer kneeling down to give a barefoot homeless man in Times Square a pair of boots on a cold November night is melting even the iciest New Yorkers' hearts online.

On Nov. 14, NYPD officer Lawrence DePrimo, who was on counterterrorism duty in Times Square, saw the older homeless man without shoes sitting on 42nd Street. DePrimo, 25, left and then returned with a pair of $100 boots he bought at a nearby Skechers store.

"It was freezing out, and you could see the blisters on the man's feet," DePrimo, a three-year veteran of the department who lives with his parents on Long Island, told the New York Times. "I had two pairs of socks, and I was still cold."

The random act of kindness was captured by Jennifer Foster, a tourist from Florence, Ariz., who was visiting the city. Foster, communications director for the Pinal County Sheriff's Office in Arizona, emailed the photo to the NYPD with a note commending DePrimo.

"The officer said, 'I have these size 12 boots for you, they are all-weather. Let's put them on and take care of you,'" Foster wrote. "The officer squatted down on the ground and proceeded to put socks and the new boots on this man.

"I have been in law enforcement for 17 years," she continued. "I was never so impressed in my life. ... It is important, I think, for all of us to remember the real reason we are in this line of work. The reminder this officer gave to our profession in his presentation of human kindness has not been lost."

Foster's photo was posted on the NYPD's Facebook page on Tuesday, where it received more than 320,000 "likes," 77,000 "shares" and 20,000 comments?most of them praising DePrimo, who seems to have restored Facebook's faith in humanity.

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[44MLX]

+1 For Humanity !

[mps69]

Restores my faith in humanity.

[FlintyV]

How long until someone steals them from him though?

[*RedBull*]

How long until someone steals them from him though?

Yea he gets robbed over new boots. The old man could just sell them too. He has new socks.

[+Warwagon MVC]

In other news

"Homeless man found murdered, for his $100 boots"

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

Police officers do this type of thing all of the time and are never recognized for the good that they do.

[jerzdawg]

+1 for some positive news featuring law enforcement. Sadly its usually only excessive use of force that gets the media's attention. Excellent job by the officer, there is still hope for us.

[Hum]

^ Yup -- this goes a long way to counter the bad cop stories. ;)

[shakey]

^ Yup -- this goes a long way to counter the bad cop stories. ;)

1 good story doesn't do too much against all the bad. While it is a great story, it shouldn't shadow the corruption of the police force.

[jerzdawg]

1 good story doesn't do too much against all the bad. While it is a great story, it shouldn't shadow the corruption of the police force.

The problem is for every 1 act of bad there are most likely thousands of acts of "good", however the media prefers the bad since it brings in the ratings.

[Growled Member]

Restores my faith in humanity.

Amen, brother. Was thinking the same thing.

[Hum]

Homeless man given boots is barefoot again

The homeless man who was photographed being given a pair of boots by a New York City police officer in Times Square on a bitterly cold night last month was spotted on the Upper West Side on Sunday. And he was once again barefoot.

"Those shoes are hidden," Jeffrey Hillman, the 54-year-old homeless man, told the New York Times. "They are worth a lot of money?I could lose my life."

"I appreciate what the officer did, don't get me wrong," Hillman added. "I wish there were more people like him in the world."

http://news.yahoo.co...-134758145.html

[FlintyV]

So it went pretty much as we expected. Would have been better getting him a hot meal.

[Crisp]

Being America, I'm surpised this homeless guy hasn't now got his own TV show.

Hide yo kids, hide yo wife!

[TrevorLahey]

Amen, brother. Was thinking the same thing.

Ignore the fact that the guy is homeless and why he is homeless....

It's great to hear news like this, but I'd much rather hear stories about people helping themselves, and getting out of the bad situations they are in without help of others or the government. That would restore my faith in humanity a lot more than somebody helping a bum by buying him something. The whole give a man a fish/teach a man how to fish kind of senario...

[Hum]

How about some cheap sneakers ? :huh:

[Detection]

Good on the cop, if I have anything spare I try to give it to someone who needs it, but sadly (hopefully not in this case), homeless are not actually as poorly off as they make out to be

Example of a homeless girl from the UK who begged every day, eventually was arrested for a drugs charge and police discovered not only did she have a house, it was fitted out with the latest gadgets, consoles etc

I know the US doesn't have long term unemployment like we do so could be a completely different kettle of fish so to speak

[moloko]

Police officers do this type of thing all of the time and are never recognized for the good that they do.

true but it takes someone to make it viral. This is still a good thing.

[Hum]

... homeless are not actually as poorly off as they make out to be.

ooo00oo ... You musta been talking to Romney. :p

[Detection]

ooo00oo ... You musta been talking to Romney. :p

:p I should have said "Some" lol

I've been homeless and it sucks, suddenly everything that was available to you with an address, is gone, and all these homeless help centres have excuse after excuse as to why you don't qualify for help

[Growled Member]

Didn't I read where now the homeless man isn't wearing his shiny, new shoes anymore?

[Hum]

Didn't I read where now the homeless man isn't wearing his shiny, new shoes anymore?

;) Probably here:

Homeless man given boots is barefoot again

The homeless man who was photographed being given a pair of boots by a New York City police officer in Times Square on a bitterly cold night last month was spotted on the Upper West Side on Sunday. And he was once again barefoot.

"Those shoes are hidden," Jeffrey Hillman, the 54-year-old homeless man, told the New York Times. "They are worth a lot of money?I could lose my life."

"I appreciate what the officer did, don't get me wrong," Hillman added. "I wish there were more people like him in the world."

http://news.yahoo.co...-134758145.html

[Hum]

Barefoot homeless man not actually homeless

The barefoot homeless man who received new shoes from a kindhearted NYPD cop isn?t actually homeless ? and has a sad history of refusing help from loved ones and the government.

For the past year, Jeffrey Hillman has had an apartment in the Bronx paid for through a combination of federal Section 8 rent vouchers and Social Security disability and veterans benefits.

But nevertheless, the now-famous nomad has continued to panhandle and cling to the cold streets of Gotham.

?Outreach teams from the Department of Homeless Services continue to attempt to work with him, but he has a history of turning down services,? said Barbara Brancaccio, a spokeswoman for the city agency.

The Daily News discovered Hillman had a loving, supportive family in Nazareth, Pa. ? another sign that there is no easy fix for his predicament.

http://www.nydailyne...ticle-1.1212779

[Growled Member]

Wow, not sure I like the rest of the story.I guess some people just can't be helped.