Much has been made of the below photo and it's story. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/nyregion/photo-of-officer-giving-boots-to-barefoot-man-warms-hearts-online.html
But to be clear, there is an often ignored reality demonstrated by this unsuspecting photo and it is a point we stress with our students every day. Police Officers are people of character and some of the most compassionate individuals in our society.
Police Officers witness it all. They see the good, the bad and everything in between from man and society. They work long hours under difficult conditions. They put themselves in harms way to protect and they often do the unthinkable as they serve. And while this purchase of boots for this gentlemen on it's face appears above and beyond, this type of act is more the norm from people we, as a society, are fortunate to have willing to follow their vocation into this career. We are proud of those we've helped educate and support in our academic programs and the Police Training Center here at Illinois Central College. So to our many graduates serving locally, nationwide and across the globe, to NYPD Officer Lawrence DePrimo and to all of those individuals who protect and serve with compassion and character on a daily basis, THANK YOU!
