Police Officer Goes Extra Mile For Frightened Child – Viral Photo Shows Savannah Policeman Comforting A Kid Found Wandering Alone

A police officer went beyond his call of duty to help a frightened child. The officer comforted the kid who was taken to a hospital for routine examination, but the circumstances behind the visit to the medical center and the events that followed make the gesture truly remarkable.

A photo of the law enforcement official comforting the kid in a hospital has gone viral. The heart-warming image shows the cop in his uniform lying on a hospital bed with the child sleeping peacefully on top of him. The Georgia police officer is getting a lot of attention for showing compassion and going beyond the call of duty.

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The photo of Officer James Hurst lying in a hospital bed holding a child on his chest was shared by Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department, reported Rare. The kind-hearted actions of the cop many not be ground-breaking or courageous, but they speak volumes about the considerate approach adopted by the cop instead of merely following his code of conduct and doing his duty.

Officer Hurst went the extra mile to simply comfort a small child who was scared of the unknown and rather frightening surroundings of a hospital. According to News Channel 10, Officer Hurst didn’t act heroically or do something brave, but he made a huge difference in a child’s life with a simple action he was never asked to do.

The little boy in the photo seen sprawled on the police officer was found wandering in the Cuyler-Brownsville neighborhood. The police found the boy, without a guardian or escort, roaming all alone. It is not immediately clear why the boy was alone or how he ended up that way. But as a precaution, Officer Hurst decided to have the boy checked out by medical professionals. So he took the young child to a nearby hospital, hoping the doctors might indicate if something was physically wrong that might require medical attention. According to police statistics, Brownsville is one of Savannah’s most troubled neighborhoods, reported ABC News.

Savannah police officer goes above and beyond his call of duty to comfort an injured child last week. LOVE! pic.twitter.com/SHs017CM2p

— Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) May 16, 2016

The little boy followed the policeman into the hospital but became quite apprehensive and scared when they entered the premises. According to Officer Hurst, the little boy started crying, and instinctively, the policeman picked up the boy.

“The boy being so small, became very upset, was crying, was sobbing. It was upsetting, I mean I have two small children of my own.”

Officer Hurst had a choice: He could either leave the child in the care of the hospital staff until Child Protective Services (CPS) took custody of the kid, or he could wait with the frightened child. After all, it was perfectly legal since the officer had done his job. However, Officer Hurst decided to hold and comfort the child while attempting to calm his fear and anxiety. What the officer didn’t anticipate was the child would blissfully drift into slumber with his face calmly resting on the policeman’s shoulder.

“I was standing, and he was asleep on my chest, but with all my gear and armor, it got very heavy. I had to sit down on the bed to make it easier on myself and the child. He was quite comfortable, he was passed out.”

Interestingly, Officer Hurst has been on the streets of Savannah for just about five months now, but he stresses that he wasn’t doing anything noteworthy, reported the Savannah Morning News. While insisting he never wanted any recognition for his actions, Hurst added it was his training and he was merely doing what he was taught.

“It is what we do every day, not just me, but the 600 officers in this department.”

Savannah-Chatham Metro Police acknowledged the kind-hearted actions of their officer and added that the child is now with CPS. There have been multiple instances where cops have taken a completely different and humanitarian approach to help children.

[Image via Shutterstock]