Police Officer Discovers Kids Were ‘Afraid’ Of Him & Spreads Positivity By Playing With Toys With Them

Jul 18, 2023 by apost team

It’s always inspiring to hear a heartwarming story that includes local first responders. While police officers typically protect people from harm and serve the community’s needs, it’s not always as common to hear about the little things that officers do behind the scenes to spread a positive message about law enforcement.

The police team in South Hill, Virginia, prides itself on being seen as a group of reliable officers that strive to make sure the people in their community always feel comfortable calling them when they need help or have questions. One officer went above and beyond to further prove this.

Officer Fleming was one of several members of the emergency crew team that responded to a call for help about the possible gas leak. He arrived on the scene to find several children from the apartment complex playing joyfully outside, completely unaware that a potentially dangerous situation might be in progress.

A photo of Police Officer C.B. Fleming went viral back in February 2019, but it has continued to capture hearts in the years that have followed. In the photo, the officer could be seen lying on the ground next to two small children. It’s safe to say that many people were curious as to what the cop was doing at that time. It turns out that he was simply playing with dolls with the two children who lived in the apartment complex he had been called out to for a suspected gas leak.

While it was a heartfelt moment, it meant a great deal to Fleming and the children in the neighborhood as they worked to spread a positive message.

The gas leak turned out not to be a threat. However, Fleming stuck around to show the kids that they could trust their local police officers. Fleming introduced himself to the kids and proceeded to casually sprawl out next to them on the sidewalk, where they were playing with various dolls and toys.

Neighbors watched with delight as the children’s expressions changed from ones of apprehension about interacting with an officer to absolute delight at the genuine interest he took in them.

Fleming noted that during his early years on the force, his department was frequently called out to that particular complex. He decided to make it his mission to show everyone that he was there to serve and protect, and he wanted them to know that the police officers were people they could trust.

“When I got into this job, I knew there was something different, other than just writing tickets and being the bad person all the time,” Fleming explained. “I figured if I could be that bright spot in someone's day then that's all that mattered."

One resident of the apartment complex, Iesha Roper-Boswell, told CBS 6, “They need someone who they feel is a superhero.” She also captured some photos and videos of Fleming spending time with the neighborhood kids.

But most importantly, Roper-Boswell explained that the kind-hearted moment helped kids in the neighborhood who were fearful of cops to feel less afraid.

"People need the positivity," she explained. "I was telling him that my daughter, my niece, and some of the other children here were afraid of cops. So when he came and played with them, I captured that moment, not because I thought it would go viral, but it was amazing that my niece didn't break out into tears."

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What did you think about this police officer’s small act of kindness? Let us know your thoughts, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends.