Picture Of Police Officer Helping Autistic Teen Wins Hearts On Social Media
A picture of a police officer helping a teenager with autism has captured the hearts of internet users.
Officer Tim Purdy has been praised for approaching the 18-year-old in a car park and sitting down on the ground beside him.
The young man has a history of violent behaviour and suicidal thoughts.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police were called to the scene after the high school student left his campus.
After arriving in the car park, Officer Purdy asked the student how he was doing and about the bracelet made of duct tape that he was wearing.
The force posted the image on Facebook and said: “Officer Tim Purdy was dispatched to a situation involving a young autistic high school student who left the campus and may have been suicidal.
“Due to the young man’s neuro-developmental disorder, he also had a history of displaying violent behaviour.
“In order to build a connection with the young man, Officer Purdy sat next to him on the ground, talked things through and even got him laughing.
“Officer Purdy established trust and a relationship that allowed officers to get this young man the help that he so desperately needed.
“There’s more to policing than making arrests and enforcing the law. Sometimes taking those extra little steps makes the biggest difference in someone’s life.”
The post has been liked more than 731,000 times on Facebook.
(Picture: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department/Facebook)
