A year and a half ago, a photograph of a police officer buying boots for a barefoot homeless man went viral after the NYPD posted it on Facebook. Now, a similar warm-hearted photograph posted on their Facebook yesterday is taking off.
The image shows a police officer helping a blind woman cross 8th Avenue on Thursday afternoon. The NYPD wrote, "This photo, captured by a passerby and sent to the #NYPD, was taken as the police officer walked the woman two blocks to her destination. The individual who snapped the photo expressed how kind New York City police officers are on a daily basis and was happy to be able to capture one of the many moments."
The police officer is NYPD Transit Counter-Terror Team Officer Peterson Bastien. WCBS 2 reports that he "had just exited the 59th Street-Columbus Circle subway station when someone told him an elderly woman needed help... Officer Bastien introduced himself to the woman - whose name and age have not been released. The woman, who is blind, told Bastien she was trying to find the express bus to Madison Avenue, police said." He took her to the bus stop, waited with her, helped her board and told the driver her destination.
The photograph has over 24,000 Facebook likes so far. Police Commissioner Bratton Tweeted, "'Cops count, police matter' One of NYC's Finest & kindest for sure. Makes me #proud."
