Six-year-old boy who called 911 because he was lonely finds a friend in Tallahassee police officer
On Tuesday, Tallahassee Police Department officer Joe White responded to a call of emergency placed by a 6-year-old. The boy had called the officer without the knowledge of his parents because he wanted some company and the boys in blue made it happen.
The police department shared on its Facebook page, "# GoodNews Here's Officer Joe White & his new friend who called 911 without his mom knowing. Officer White arrived on the scene and the young man asked Officer White to be his friend because he was lonely."
The post added, "Officer White took the time to explain how 911 is used and how it's for emergencies. Then Officer White said he'd always be a friend! The young man got a stuffed animal, got to sit in the patrol car and got to spend some time with Officer White! We have a new friend!"
This post has received a lot of attention from users who applauded the young officer.
Jean Smith, one of the users, wrote, "Such a great story! Kudos to Officer White for being just what this young man needed - a friend. And a great opportunity for a learning experience - the importance of using 911 properly. Positive impact on all who have been touched by this story. Keep up the great work and friendship."
Many users thanked officer White for teaching just the right thing to the kid. Violet Hatzenbuehler said, "Wow, I just love this Story. Thank You, Officer Joe White, For Taking Time To Make a New Little Friend. What a blessing you made for this Precious Little One. So Awesome."
According to a report in People, a statement from the department praised officer White for acting as a mentor. The statement said, "Officer White did a phenomenal job answering this 911 call and using it as an opportunity to be a positive mentor. He understood the caller was a child who needed a buddy or a friend to understand. He took the time to make the interaction a teaching moment for the use of 911, too. Officer White helped tie the child’s sneakers and walked with him to the patrol car so he could work the blue lights."
The statement added, "Officer White gave him a stuffed animal and they chatted about how to call 911 and now that they were friends, Officer White would stop by to check on him."