Photo of Officer Giving Boots to Barefoot Man Warms Hearts Online

[alp227]

On a cold November night in Times Square, Officer Lawrence Deprimo was working a counterterrorism post when he encountered an older, barefooted homeless man. The officer disappeared for a moment, then returned with a new pair of boots, and knelt to help the man put them on.

The act of kindness would have gone unnoticed and mostly forgotten, had it not been for a tourist from Arizona.

Her snapshot — taken with her cellphone on Nov. 14 and posted to the New York Police Department’s official Facebook page late Tuesday — has made Officer Deprimo an overnight Internet hero.

By Wednesday evening, the post had been viewed 1.6 million times, and had attracted nearly 275,000 “likes” and more than 16,000 comments — a runaway hit for a Police Department that waded warily onto the social media platform this summer with mostly canned photos of gun seizures, award ceremonies and the police commissioner.

full: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/nyregion/photo-of-officer-giving-boots-to-barefoot-man-warms-hearts-online.html

[MotherPetrie]

1. I don't usually have much good to say about cops but K&R for this one

[Chorophyll]

35. Cops are like any other group of people:

some are bad. Some are good. Most are in-between.

This is a really, really good one.

[infidel dog]

36. Yeah...A good deed in a weary world....

[Aldo Leopold]

37. "A good deed in a weary world."

I like that.

[Iggo]

42. Me, neither.

But credit where credit's due, that's a good man right there.

[joeunderdog]

2. great story

seems like every time a police vid or pic goes viral, it's not good news. nice to see the good stuff.

[OldDem2012]

3. Well done, officer, well done. nt.

[lumberjack_jeff]

4. My best friend is a cop.

I think he started out like this, and still may be this person deep inside, but police work renders most people, him included, cynical.

Rec'd, because I'd like remind police officers of the ideals that brought them to the job.

[AlbertCat]

31. Bravo!

Excellent post, lumber-jeff!

[hedgehog]

5. Thank you!

[babylonsister]

6. Recommend. I saw this on FB, and I can only

thank the cop for having a heart. We all should.

[Historic NY]

7. Not all are cynical...good work officer.

The officer has kept the receipt in his vest since then, he said, “to remind me that sometimes people have it worse.”

[Smilo]

8. Now this is a great example of real community policing

well done Officer Deprimo.

[Stinky The Clown]

9. We usually hear only about the bad cops.

[MynameisBlarney]

10. We need more cops like this.

And damn if this didn't get me all teary eyed.

[1620rock]

11. My animosity toward cops in general has been lessoned by this humanitarian gesture from officer

Deprimo. May God keep him safe in the performance of his duties. We need so many more like him.

[AlbertCat]

32. My animosity toward cops in general has been lessoned

Cops are individuals, like any other group.

[nolabear]

12. Let us follow his example this winter. Do something for someone who has less.

Good for him. Good for him.

[Beacool]

13. Heartwarming story.

There's good to be found in the most unexpected places. Bless the young officer, he's a credit to his family and to the department.

[ErikJ]

14. I saw a driver giving woman street corner beggar a jacket.

She put it on immediately and seemed quite happpy. That gave me an idea to always keep old clothes in the car that I was going to take to Goodwill to give to beggars.

[calimary]

16. THAT is a FABULOUS idea!!!

Last edited Thu Nov 29, 2012, 02:18 AM - Edit history (1)

Excellent!!!! Winter's coming. They're cold. Especially if their "home" is a freeway underpass. The photo reminds me of a modern-day St. Martin of Tours.

[RandiFan1290]

20. You should have more respect and not call them a beggar. nt

[AlexSatan]

23. So she wasn't begging?

Beyond that, what does the person know about her? Likely nothing.

[ErikJ]

43. I was thinking about using "pan-handler" but I thought that might be worse. Or "spanger"

but that is more for kids sitting on sidewalks I think. Maybe "corner donation sign-holder"?

[EC]

46. How about just needy?

Is there something wrong with being a needy person? or downtrodden? down and out? I don't think these are slams on the person, but descriptions of circumstance.

[Lightbulb_on]

53. A person who runs is a runner...

A person who talks is a talker.

A person who begs is a begger.

[RandiFan1290]

57. A rude person is an asshole

welcome

[Lightbulb_on]

58. Just seems like there is a push...

... to intentionally call things something other than what they are. As if that will magically change the homeless guy into something he isn't.

Feelgood BS..

[RandiFan1290]

60. mmhmm

We've heard this song and dance before. You are no snowflake.

[Lightbulb_on]

61. Good...

Glad I'm not the only one.

Here's hoping common sense prevails.

[montana_hazeleyes]

15. Stories like this are so touching.

Thank you Officer for your kindness and good heart.

[CADEMOCRAT7]

17. This brought tears to my eyes.

When I read this in the Times today, it brought tears to my eyes. God Bless Officer Deprimo for caring enough to do such a kind gesture.

[mrsadm]

18. Wish I could rec more than once!

[JNelson6563]

19. Officer Deprimo: Hero.

[sheshe2]

21. It's Random acts of Kindness that bring a tear to your eye.

K&R

[KurtNYC]

22. Anyone else think this might have been staged? The pic taker is a PD communications director...

The photo was taken by Jennifer Foster, a civilian communications director for the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona. She said the moment resonated for personal reasons: She remembered as a young girl seeing her father, a 32-year veteran of the Phoenix police force, buy food for a homeless man.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/nyregion/photo-of-officer-giving-boots-to-barefoot-man-warms-hearts-online.html?_r=0

[Renew Deal]

27. No

But I'm not surprised by the cynicism. This is pretty unusual in NY.

[KurtNYC]

30. I have seen cops help people here plenty of times

but this is a media driven town with a media mogul mayor and the woman who took this picture also works for a police department as a communications director. She seems either pretty observant to have seen the cop go shopping, come back, etc on a cold night, or else this is a story to boost tourism and holiday shopping in post-Sandy NYC.

[AtheistCrusader]

34. His cynicism is well-founded in this case.

Walk around between Times Square and the Meat Packing district. You'll eventually bump into the guy.

Pro Tip: Look for the guy that STILL isn't wearing shoes.

[AtheistCrusader]

33. Of course it was.

That guy has been around forever. He carries a sign sometimes that says nice things about the cops, like 'give them a raise'. The cops know him.

He never wears shoes. They know it. Everyone who knows him knows it. He walks around barefoot in snowstorms. Doesn't care. It's his thing I guess.

Next time you see him, or the media sees him, he will still have no shoes.

[KurtNYC]

40. I love New York !

thanks for the confirmation.

In my neighborhood there is a lady who perpetually needs "only two more dollars for nice hot cup of soup" even though there is a free soup kitchen 500 feet away from her on West 82nd.

[AtheistCrusader]

45. Unfortunately they need help, but that pair of shoes, or that 2$ isn't the help they need.

It may keep them alive (well, the guy will just sell or lose the shoes, I don't think anyone knows what he does with them) but true help comes in a very different form.

Half the battle is providing it, and the other half is getting some of them to accept it. (Especially after bad experiences in the past with caregivers, psychologists, pharma, you name it)

[KurtNYC]

67. I hear you. Although I have seen plenty of homeless and talked to a dozens, I have only

the faintest idea what a horror it is to be a the mercy of this world, or to go through the shelter system or mental health services or the jail system or to live in a railway tunnel or, all of the above.

To me this story going viral and the response here shows me that many cannot believe, or just don't question, that there are people who are essentially professional beggars. They have a location and business hours and they will fight for their spot. The good ones have their own unique schtick like there used to be a guy in front of Big Nick's (77th and Bwy), and he would just complement everyone that walked by. With a big smile, he would look at me and say "Hey Paul McCartney..Lookin sharp'!" and he never asked for money but he made you feel like giving him some. There is a guy who plays loud bad saxophone on the L train (which is more like extortion than panhandling). There was a pro from Brazil who could cry endlessly; he worked at 87th and Bwy in the late 1990s.

And I also learned here that few can imagine the NYC police department doing viral PR. Perhaps it seems too hip for the police to pull off (but they did).

[dbackjon]

50. No - cop didn't even know the pic was being taken, or was taken until sent to the PD.

Grow a heart

[AtheistCrusader]

54. The photo was taken by a PR Rep from another police department.

Interesting they omitted that detail.
Also interesting they omitted the detail that the police know this guy, and he's been walking around barefoot for years.

If a news crew went out and found the guy right now, he would still not have any shoes on.


Edit: Have you ever taken a picture of a cop from about 15-20 feet? They tend to notice that shit.

[dbackjon]

62. It was all over the news here she was

Can't you just accept that sometimes good stories ARE JUST FUCK ING THAT?

[AtheistCrusader]

64. Can't you accept that people sometimes embellish bullshit to fabricate 'good stories'?

There are people who have observed and spoken to the individual the boots were offered to. It is known that he knows the police officers, and they know him.
The 'viral' version of the story omits details that might cause people to suspect it was staged, or something less than the noble gallantry it was presented here as.

The guy doesn't wear shoes. The cops know that. So, where does that leave us with the story of a rookie cop offering shoes to a shoeless man, with 'no idea' anyone (a PR flack for a police department) was taking a picture of the event?

[dbackjon]

65. You are a sad, patheitc person

[AtheistCrusader]

66. No, I'm a skeptic.

I don't blindly consume any bullshit people hand me on a plate, regardless of how 'feel good' it may appear.

[KurtNYC]

68. If you read the NYTimes piece then you saw this paragraph

where they basically tell you that this is a police department generated piece of PR which is on the NYPD Facebook page and they congratulate themselves on how effective it has been:

By Wednesday evening, the post had been viewed 1.6 million times, and had attracted nearly 275,000 “likes” and more than 16,000 comments — a runaway hit for a Police Department that waded warily onto the social media platform this summer with mostly canned photos of gun seizures, award ceremonies and the police commissioner.
...
“This is definitely the most viral,” said Barbara Chen, a spokeswoman for the department who helps manage its Facebook page.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/nyregion/photo-of-officer-giving-boots-to-barefoot-man-warms-hearts-online.html?_r=0

Also the article does not say that the officer 'did not know the picture was being taken' -- it says "He was not warned before the photo went online."

[datasuspect]

24. rookie

[AlexSatan]

25. Even if it was, does it matter?

Unless the boots were taken away after the photo, a good thing was done.

[Renew Deal]

26. That cop is a good guy

I've seen too many people in NYC ignore people like this. One time I saw a homeless advocate that was raising money doing nothing for a woman freezing on 5th ave and 57th street. I said something to him about it.

[Enrique]

28. cops and other people that work out on the street at night

give a lot to homeless people.

I worked for a long time overnight at a gas station, it was a city with few lights so homeless people gathered there for safety since it was lit up. Myself and almost all the other clerks regularly gave them money, cops gave them money, cab drivers, EMTs, anyone else who faces the people in need on a regular basis.

I came to see it as a kind of tax. Homeless people in large part around the country are being supported by low-paid workers who happen to work at night. (cops aren't low-paid, but the other workers are).

[robbob]

38. I consider it my Karmic duty!

Or "good luck charm" or call it what you will. If I have change in my pocket (and here in Canada that can be upwards of 10$, given the loonie and twonie) I hand it out to anyone who asks for it, and consider myself lucky that I can afford to do so.

[Renew Deal]

29. And one more thing... It's cold outside

It's been pretty cold here, especially at night. 30's to 40's.

[TheBlackAdder]

39. After seeing a blind panhandler walking into a friend's exclusive high rise appartment...

where he turned out to live.

The cynical side of me wonders if this guy didn't park outside of a store that sold shoes to get a pair so he could sell later on for alcohol.

I hope my second thought on this isn't true, that he really needed shoes, but it's too convenient.

===

I'll buy food for homeless folks that I know are destitute, but not the casual panhandler who approaches me or works the street corners.

[skeewee08]

41. K&R......

Thank you Officer Deprimo for your kindness.....

[midnight]

44. Nice to see...

[Liberal_in_LA]

47. cool

[Liberal_in_LA]

48. more from article

As the man walked slowly down Seventh Avenue on his heels, Officer DePrimo went into a Skechers shoe store at about 9:30 p.m. “We were just kind of shocked,” said Jose Cano, 28, a manager working at the store that night. “Most of us are New Yorkers and we just kind of pass by that kind of thing. Especially in this neighborhood.”

Mr. Cano volunteered to give the officer his employee discount to bring down the regular $100 price of the all-weather boots to a little more than $75. The officer has kept the receipt in his vest since then, he said, “to remind me that sometimes people have it worse.”

[jschurchin]

49. Thank you officer!!!

NYPD you rock.

[willhe]

51. now thats protecting and servinf at its finest

k&r

[pipewrench]

52. great read alp227

true kindness knows no bounds..

[Beowulf42]

55. justice in a sad world.

This is true police work. Check on officer Mark Zylawy, Portland Police Department. He did it right. And so does his brother in Superior Montana. A highway patrolman.

[dorkzilla]

56. I've ONLY had great experiences with the NYPD

When I was a kid, I was what they classify as a "throw away"; parents didnt want me, I was emancipated but had no means to take care of myself. I went from friend to friend, living at various times in NYC and the near Northern Suburbs. I can't even tell you the number of times I was confronted by the cops under suspicion of being either a street person or a prostitute. I was always very respectful toward them and explained my situation. And you know what? Time and again, the officers would disappear then reappear bearing food and hot tea or coffee. I'm sure it helped that I was a white female, but damned if those guys weren't the nicest bunch of people ever. And this middle-aged woman hasn't forgotten the kindness shown to a teenage throw away for one minute. I love these people. Flame away if you want, but they're MOSTLY good people. The bad ones get all the press.

[redqueen]

59. They interviewed the woman who took the pic, and the cop, on GMT (BBC news show)

May this be a ripple that turns into a wave. That would make for a wonderful holiday season.

[NYC Liberal]

63. K&R...we need more people like this!

[thesquanderer]

69. He's not wearing them

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/03/nyregion/barefoot-homeless-man-says-hes-grateful-for-boots.html

The implication of the article is that he doesn't wear them because they're too valuable to wear.

My suspicion is that he doesn't wear them because, when panhandling, he collects a lot more if he's not wearing them.

I saw him panhandling (barefoot) on a train on Thursday evening. Yeah, I gave him a buck.