NYPD officer's act of kindness sparks online sensation
NEW YORK (AP) - A tourist's snapshot of a New York City police officer giving new boots to a barefoot homeless man in Times Square has created an online sensation.
Jennifer Foster, of Florence, Ariz., was visiting New York with her husband on Nov. 14, when she came across the shoeless man asking for change in Times Square.
As she was about to approach him, she said the officer - identified as Larry DePrimo - came up to the man with a pair of all-weather boots and thermal socks on the frigid night. She recorded his generosity on her cellphone.
It was posted Tuesday night to the NYPD's official Facebook page and became an instant hit. More than 325,000 users "liked" it as of Thursday morning, and over 79,000 shared it.
Thousands of people commented, including one person who praised him as "An officer AND a Gentleman."
The photo shows the officer kneeling beside the man with the boots at his feet. A shoe store is seen in the background.
The NYPD Facebook page on Thursday posted a comment from DePrimo saying "I didn't think anything of it" and updated it with a photo of DePrimo taken in 2011.
"'I have these size 12 boots for you, they are all-weather. Let's put them on and take care of you,'" Foster quoted DePrimo as saying to the homeless man. "The officer squatted down on the ground and proceeded to put socks and the new boots on this man. The officer expected NOTHING in return and did not know I was watching."
Foster said she's worked in law enforcement for 17 years and has never been more impressed.
"His presentation of human kindness has not been lost on myself or any of the Arizona law enforcement officials with whom this story has been shared," Foster wrote on Facebook. She said she never got the officer's name.
DePrimo, who is assigned to the Sixth Precinct and lives on Long Island, told Newsday that the homeless man "smiled from ear to ear" after getting the boots.
"It was like you gave him a million dollars," he added.
He told The New York Times that he keeps the receipt for the boots in his vest to remind him "that sometimes people have it worse."
Jennifer Foster, of Florence, Ariz., was visiting New York with her husband on Nov. 14, when she came across the shoeless man asking for change in Times Square.
As she was about to approach him, she said the officer - identified as Larry DePrimo - came up to the man with a pair of all-weather boots and thermal socks on the frigid night. She recorded his generosity on her cellphone.
It was posted Tuesday night to the NYPD's official Facebook page and became an instant hit. More than 325,000 users "liked" it as of Thursday morning, and over 79,000 shared it.
Thousands of people commented, including one person who praised him as "An officer AND a Gentleman."
The photo shows the officer kneeling beside the man with the boots at his feet. A shoe store is seen in the background.
The NYPD Facebook page on Thursday posted a comment from DePrimo saying "I didn't think anything of it" and updated it with a photo of DePrimo taken in 2011.
"'I have these size 12 boots for you, they are all-weather. Let's put them on and take care of you,'" Foster quoted DePrimo as saying to the homeless man. "The officer squatted down on the ground and proceeded to put socks and the new boots on this man. The officer expected NOTHING in return and did not know I was watching."
Foster said she's worked in law enforcement for 17 years and has never been more impressed.
"His presentation of human kindness has not been lost on myself or any of the Arizona law enforcement officials with whom this story has been shared," Foster wrote on Facebook. She said she never got the officer's name.
DePrimo, who is assigned to the Sixth Precinct and lives on Long Island, told Newsday that the homeless man "smiled from ear to ear" after getting the boots.
"It was like you gave him a million dollars," he added.
He told The New York Times that he keeps the receipt for the boots in his vest to remind him "that sometimes people have it worse."
this happens every day across america BUT is not news worthy to the press. cops have compassion too and don't want people to suffer anymore than you and i do. out of the thousands of police officers there are only a few bad ones but that is the one we hear about in the news. we don't hear about the cop who finds some person a roof for the night or buys them a meal out of their own money.
Made me cry. Love the story.
OK boys and girls!!!!! This is in MHO one of those stories that should garner only positive comments.......This 25 yr. old police officer went across the street from where the homeless man was sitting, took $100.00 of his own money and bought the boots for this man. I am certain that he did NOT do this as a police officer but as a compassionate human being....BTW; How many of you would spend $100 on a homeless person sitting on the streets of Portland?
What an a amazing man
that's an amazing man
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When you hear all the anti-police blather in Portland, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that cops are people too. A lot of men and women become police officers because they want to help people. If you think that the things they see and deal with don't affect them, then you've likely never known one. We need them, and we should support and respect them: they do a job that most of us couldn't handle. The vast majority of them are trying to make a positive difference.
Great story, KATU! We needed a story like this. T'is the season to remember that it's not always "Us" versus "Them."  My guess is that this officer and is family will have a wonderful Christmas.
Great job on the part of this officer!!
Great idea about the receipt also, some have it worse!
It is too bad that more of this is not shared with everyone. Too many times, people want to take videos of "bad" police officers, and seem to ignore when the "Good" police officer is helping someone.
Outstanding all in all!!
panhandling 101.. dont wear shoes when you beg..... I will keep that in mind, thanks New York.
do you think a guy that has no shoes, is responsible enough to KEEP a $100 pair of boots?
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News should do a follow up to see if he bought crack or booze with the money from the shoes.
 @Rey Arteb My suspicion is that you've never contributed anything positive to any group or community in your entire life. Rather, you're the guy who urinated on the charity of others and insults people you don't even know.
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Ask yourself what value you have whatsoever to your community or to the United States of America, and then do the right thing.
i am your polar opposite, and without me pointing out that your handing out fish to feed the people (or shoes in this case) instead of teaching the man to fish.
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this person needs more help then just a pair of shoes.
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but you keep on givin bro, whatever you need to do to lift yourself up and pat yourself on the back.
 @Rey Arteb Betrayer. Master Troll. Well played, sir.
 @Pointblank thank you... seriously... ive been off lately...
do you give money to people sitting on a sidewalk or off ramps with a sign?
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you are perpetuating a problem, and are part of it by contributing to them.
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give to the organizations that can help people out, not to the individual who cant take care of himself.
 @Rey Arteb Should he have taught him to make shoes? Please do something to cheer yourself up!
 @Rey Arteb I don't see any back-patting there, "bro."Â
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"am your polar opposite, and without me pointing out that your handing out fish to feed the people"
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You don't know jack squat about me, bro, and we don't need "you" pointing out the fish thing because all you're doing is plagiarizing Jesus, aren't you? Merry Artebmas, eh? I gave service to my country and my friends, and I have given to charity. I find no shame in it. Interesting that you do, bro.
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"this person needs more help then just a pair of shoes."
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Ironic, however, that you criticize the people for providing what they can while acknowledging that the person "needs" something. Bro.
Another great story!! Good on him... the Karma is powerful with this one! :)
This story actually brought tears, empathy, sorrow, and eventually a smile at the generosity of the police-officer with a heart and capacity to really care..... if more of us took the time this would certainly be a better world....
@KHEB Same. Two nights ago, when I read this, I was moved in a way that I haven't been in quite a while. The thing is... I am intimitely aware that many LEO's do things like this on a daily basis. It is just not shared and put in the spotlight like this story.
"What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal."
I love stories like this. This makes up for all the bad things you hear about police all the time. There are probably more good, kind police officers like this one than there are bad ones, we just don't usually hear about them.
There should be more "feel-good" stories like this.....rading this made my day! A heartfelt THANK YOU to all law enforcement officers everywhere for all their random acts of kindness!
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Acts of kindness like this happen every day with every law enforcement agency (yes, in Portland too). Just because the mainstream media focuses on the negative doesn't mean positive things aren't happening too - far more often than the sexy, sensational stories that get rehashed time and again. There are more than 900 officers in Portland and we keep talking about - what? 10?
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*I'm* talking about the officers who band together to buy groceries with their own money for people in need when they're out on calls, and who donate their time, not just money, to various charities and special events in Portland. The Z-Man Foundation, Sunshine Division, Shop-With-A-Cop, Special Olympics, and PAL are just a few of these fantastic organizations and events.
 @sharifa1970 Thank you for pointing these out. Have an outstanding holiday season.
Well done, Officer DePrimo! And a very Merry Christmas to you and your family!
many years ago I watched a Sherrif's Deputy change the tire on an elderly couple's car. I have always wanted groups like Copwatch to post pictures of Cops doing good instead of just beating on someone or doing no knock raids.
Police officers always do good or try to; it's just not always recorded or commented upon.
This is how the police are supposed to treat the homeless. Our police could learn something from this.Â
@PDXBEAR They do it every day Bear. Even here in Portland. You just don't hear about it. This city prefers to focus on the negative LEO's.
 @PDXBEAR Except he was acting in a "human" capacity and not as a police officer...I don't think "the police" should be 'expected' to care for the homeless at their own expense.
THIS is what Santa Clause looks like.
What are the odds? The homeless man just happened to be in front of a shoe store. The tourist taking the photo just happened to be someone in law enforcement. Kind of a little holiday miracle :)
 @fracas Ya it seemed a little to setup to me as well but it does make a good story so I will give him the benefit of doubt at really being a great guy...
 @FreedomRocks  @fracas Set up or not, it was still something nice for him to do.
 @Playanekes  @fracas  @scoreboard Ya but there truly are evil people and those who are and always will be only out for themselves and no amount of good will change that.
 @fracas  @scoreboard  @FreedomRocks It didn't sound bad, Fracas. I knew what each of you meant. Whatever caused these random circumstances to converge, if it hadn't have been for the officer rising to the moment, it wouldn't have happened. I believe good deeds have a way of coming around on people, and this photo will be one for his grandchildren. Also, I believe goodness is insidious and contagious. The better we are to each other, the better we will individually strive to be.
 @fracas  @scoreboard  @FreedomRocks I gotcha! You know things can get misconstrued on the web. It's all good!
@scoreboard @FreedomRocks @fracas Oh gosh...I didn't mean for it to sound like I thought this was set up!!!!! I'm just saying that it's so strange how all of the perfect things fell into place...like someone, someplace, is trying to tell us something.
THAT's a true American hero!
Thank god there is still goodness in this world! Â Heart touching story.
This officer should be the poster officer for all to emulate. His kindness towards another expecting nothing in return is what it should be about........We had a similar locally when an officer went out of his way to help another........Remember there are hero's among us, we just don't see them until they perform an act of compassion or heroism!!!!!! Thank you DePrimo you made my day
 @FreerideNOT Yes, sir. The Marine Corps teaches that great officers lead by example.  And...there it is!
Class act by this officer. Portland could use a few like him instead of the ones that always seem to assume the worst.
 @scoreboard Watched a take down in downtown 10 years ago and it was really pretty bad looking for the officers involved. Four of them holding down a guy one choking him trying to keep him from swallowing the evidence. When unsuccessful the office doing the choking was pissed off and said I hope what ever you swallow kills you. It was more his tone then what he said they gave me the sick feeling in my stomach...
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Granted they are constantly dealing with the scum of the earth but they are supposed to be the professionals not just thug enforcers even when the legal system constantly lets them down letting these guys back out in days they still need to take the high rode as long as their safety is not a factor. Then all bets are off a dead crook is much better then an injured officer.
A decent Portland cop. Not gonna happen.
 @2012 Hope and Change Which sort of sounds like all the redneck accusations about Obama voters and occupiers, isn't it? Buncha freeloadin' jobless handout-demanding communists, socialists, anarchists and dope fiends. Huh?
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It's an interesting depth to which you seem to be stooping. Why would you do that?
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There are many, many decent cops on the Portland police force. In fact, the former Dean of Jefferson High School, Mr. Clay, taught his young african-American kids to be weary of the police but that "they're not ALL bad."Â Â (Court testimony in his son's second lawsuit against the Portland Police in which the Plaintiff attempted to hide from the jury that he was a regular with the PPD and had been drunk and off of his Lorazepam.)Â
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There were three cops in the room and I would only call one of them "decent," but, I happen to know quite a few others who wouldn't dignify your statement with a response.
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 @2012 Hope and Change Here is the recent one that I saw: WOOD VILLAGE, Ore. - A Multnomah County Sheriffâs Deputy was honored recently for going beyond the call of duty. By KATU News Published: Nov 15, 2012 at 1:29 PM PSThttp://www.katu.com/news/local/Deputy-honored-for-helping-woman-accused-of-shoplifting-179509611.html
 @Sidetracked  @2012 Hope and Change cool story, hadn't seen that one , thanks!
 @2012 Hope and Change I know at least one so it is possible:)
 @scoreboard LEO's do this kind of thing all the time. You just don't always hear about it because they aren't doing it for publicity. They do it out of compassion, something most of us could have a little more of. I know several LEO's personally and they are all wonderful, caring people who do the job to protect and serve. Literally. There are a few bad apples in every barrel. Don't let them ruin your opinion of the rest.
@mkamom @scoreboard , I agree with you scoreboard. I too know alot of LE folks and we should not lump them all in one basket when there are some rotten apples out there. There are rotten apples in every job, just look at the CEO's raking in tons of money, and the worker bee's getting the shaft.
Oops, this should of said I agree with mkamom