A young police officer starting off his job in Savannah has won the praise from many after helping a 16-month-old child found alone in gang-ridden Cuyler-Brownsville.
The photo of Officer James Hurst comforting the little boy has gone viral on Facebook, attracting thousands of likes and shares.
On May 9, Officer Hurst, who joined the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department in January, was dispatched as backup after residents reported a toddler wandering in high-traffic areas. While his training as a police officer guided his response, the father of two, one of whom has Down Syndrome, admits that his experience as a parent influenced his actions.
“This job is so much more than just chasing the bad guys, it is about serving the citizens of the communities you work in and doing what they need you to do,” Hurst said.
The boy was taken to the Memorial University Medical Center.
In the emergency room, the distressed child began crying during the medical examination and that’s when Hurst asked if he could hold him.
“The boy, obviously, being so small, became very upset. He was crying. He was sobbing. I asked the hospital staff if I can hold him to comfort him and soothe him a little bit to try to calm him down, to continue getting medical care and they said that was fine. So I picked him up, minutes later, I was standing and he was asleep on my chest and with all my body armor and my gun belt, became very heavy holding this small child, so that’s when I decided to sit down on the bed and make it easier for him and me,” the officer explained.
Hurst let the boy sleep right there because he was finally feeling comfortable.
Hurst, who served in the U.S. Army as a Black Hawk crew chief before joining the police force, emphasized that his actions were nothing special. “I didn’t run into a burning building,” he told Today, “I was just there for a child.”
He added that compassion is a daily part of policing in Savannah, even if it isn’t always photographed.
“We do this type of stuff every day. It felt great I was able to be there for him,” Hurst said. “We have 605 officers that would do the same thing.”
The Savannah-Chatham Metro Police Department later confirmed the child is safe and in stable condition. The case has been turned over to the Georgia Department of Family & Children’s Services for review.
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