Policemen aren't usually considered the sensitive type.
But Officer Tim Purdy proves that law enforcement can require a fair bit of emotional intelligence and empathy.
A couple of days ago, the North Carolina policeman was dispatched to a local school after a young autistic boy left the campus without telling anyone.
His teachers worried as he had a history of violent behaviour, but they also feared for his own safety: he was reportedly suicidal.
Initially unable to locate the teen, Tim eventually found him sitting on the ground in a car-park.
With no real experience of dealing with autistic people, Tim was unsure what to do, but he knew he had to make a connection with the boy.
So he followed his instincts – which proved to be absolutely wonderful.
He sat down on the ground in front of the boy and started to chat. Before long, Tim had the boy talking things through. He even got him laughing.
Thanks to Tim’s caring nature and amazing response, the teen boy received the help that he so badly needed.
What’s more, thanks to his great work, Tim received an ‘Employee of the month’ award. Couldn’t have been more deserved!
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