How an Act of Kindness Made This Police Officer a Neighborhood Hero
Safety starts with trust
Protecting and serving is more than checking for imminent danger. One officer in South Hill, Virginia, makes it his mission to make everyone of all ages feel safe after giving the all clear, starting with the younger generations.
And because of his kindness and empathy, many parents (and their children) look at C.B. Fleming as something of a superhero. 28-year-old mom, Lesha Roper-Boswell said that the neighborhood kids need someone ‘larger than life’ they can depend on to protect them and their town, and Fleming fits the role beautifully.
"He's awesome. That's the only word you can really use to describe C.B.," she told WTVR. "It's just amazing, the bond he has with the children."
Recently, residents in an apartment complex had a scare when emergency crews were summoned to investigate a gas leak. Though he could have just left the scene after making sure the leak wasn’t harmful, Officer Fleming made sure everyone in the building felt safer.
Seeing some kids play outside with dolls, he sat down and joined them, reassuring the girls that everything was going to be okay. An impressed and grateful Roper-Boswell took a video of the kind act and posted it on Facebook, where it’s garnered thousands of views from people living all over the country.
Fleming, who is celebrating his 15th year on the force, said he’s always aspired to do more than cite pedestrians for parking violations. "It's something I've always tried to do," he said about also looking out for the children. "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. I figured if I could be that bright spot in someone's day then that's all that mattered."
Roper-Boswell also added that her daughter, niece, and the other neighborhood kids were afraid of police officers and she wanted to do something to spread positivity. Fleming for his part just wants to leave behind a respectable legacy, and he hopes his efforts will inspire other officers to develop the same sort of trust with residents and commitment to protecting everyone, while also going out of their way to make citizens feel safe.
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