SOUTH HILL, Va. (WSVN) — An officer is being praised by the community after he took some time to play with a group of young children after responding to an emergency call.
South Hill, Virginia resident Iesha Roper-Boswell captured video and photos showing 42-year-old South Hill Police Cpl. C.B. Fleming playing dolls with two little girls and coloring with two young boys.
According to WTVR, Fleming was originally in the area to respond to a reported gas leak. Once the area was deemed safe, he spared a moment to play with the kids before heading back out.
“He’s awesome. That’s the only word you can really use to describe C.B.,” she said. “It’s just amazing, the bond he has with the children.”
“It’s something I’ve always tried to do,” Fleming said about his interaction with the children. “When I got into this job, I knew there was something different, other than just writing tickets and being the bad person all the time. I figured if I could be that bright spot in someone’s day then that’s all that mattered.”
Roper-Boswell said she believes Fleming’s interest in helping the community was demonstrated in the photos.
“People need the positivity,” she said. “I was telling him that my daughter, my niece, and some of the other children here were afraid of cops, so when he came and played with them, I captured that moment, not because I thought it would go viral, but it was amazing that my niece didn’t break out into tears.”
Fleming said he hopes his actions and the actions of his fellow officers will lead to change in police-community relations.
“I want everyone, not just the kids … but the moms and dads … to know that they can come to me,” he said.
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