Geography aside, New York City is about as far away from the Tampa Bay area as the moon.
It’s highly developed, over-populated and practically paved over with concrete – not to mention the fact palm trees just aren’t a part of the landscape.
One thing the Big Apple and Tampa Bay do have in common, however, are people who can still be touched by small gestures that restore faith in humanity.
Case in point: the story about the New York City police officer who gave a shoeless, homeless man a pair of boots. Officer Larry DePrimo’s random act of kindness has sparked conversation not only in the city, but in places far away, including the Tampa Bay area.
Locally, some law enforcement agencies are taking up the story as one that simply highlights that cops are people, too. The story illustrates the “great work officers do daily,” according to the Tampa Police Department’s Facebook page. That particular TPD post has been liked by 181 people and generated 9 comments so far.
Bay area residents, too, have been sharing the photo of DePrimo and the homeless man on their own Facebook pages. They’re admitting the officer’s action has warmed their hearts, made them smile and even helped them remember that the negative headlines that dominate daily news don’t always tell the whole story.
We’d like to hear from you Tampa Bay! What do you think about Officer DePrimo’s act of kindness? Has it reminded you about the good still in the world? Do you have other examples of kind acts you’ve witnessed – or initiated – right here in Tampa Bay?
Eric Thompson: A great lesson in how other police departments deal with their homeless community. 22 hours ago · Like · 1 Shawna Machado: First that we are all human. Second that people are not the issue. Homelessness is issue. Treat people equally and let's tackle the issue together. How can we expect that different economic classes understand what the other deals with everyday? It will take a collaborative effort. It's time for Sarasota to stand up to this issue together and show the rest of the nation solutions. 22 hours ago via mobile · Like · 2 Lindsay Smith: According to a Herald Tribune article I read earlier this year, Sarasota is known as the "meanest city" in the nation toward the homeless. I think ANYTHING taken from viewing this picture would be a valued lesson. What's wrong with harmless outdoor lodging anyway? We live is such a beautiful climate, why not lay down for a little cat-nap from time-to-time!
Most cops are thorough professionals who perform their duties admirably, but just as there are a few outstanding humanitarians in many, there are also a few bad apples in most. If there wasn't, then there would be no need for Internal Affairs units; it's human nature. But, there has been a sad reduction in humanitarian approaches not only within police forces, but also among politicians and even the general populace. So, it is right to praise Officer DePrimo, and to look for other loving incidents in NYC or elsewhere that may not have been captured by a passing tourist, but it is wrong to attribute "gestapo" tactics to one department without a specific and provable basis for making such broad brush charges. Radical charges, whether from the extreme right wing or the extreme left wing, are seldom close to the truth. Your approach is no better than that of loudmouthed louts like Rush Limbaugh. So, a little humanitarian adjustment on your part may be in order.
This is a good example for others too follow and I'm sure there that do. It would be nice to hear more stories like this one.