It’s a cop’s duty to encourage public safety, educate, and uphold the law, but sometimes it’s not the training that kicks in and guides an officer. It’s something inside of them that guides them to do certain parts of their job, as was the case with Officer James Hurst.

He had been on the job for about a year in Savannah, Georgia, when he responded to a call about a child wandering alone in the busy streets. His caregivers were no where to be found and the child was scared and upset.

Officer Hurst picked up the little 16-month-old boy and brought him to the Emergency Room at Memorial University Medical Center. The cop wasn’t willing to just leave the child alone. He stayed by the boy’s side as staff members looked him over.

The toddler wasn’t injured, luckily, but he was scared and began crying and screaming uncontrollably. The officer looked around, but there was no one available to comfort the distraught child. So he did what any other dad would do.

He walked over to the child and held him tightly to his chest. Instantly soothed, the toddler’s cries began to fade and soon he was nestled quietly against the armor that was hidden underneath Officer Hurst’s uniform.

After the Savannah Police Department shared photos of Officer Hurst comforting the child on their social media pages, the images went viral. Everyone who saw what the officer did praised him for his compassion.

“I just knew this child needed somebody to be there for him,” said Officer Hurst. “It was just human instinct; humanity. The hospital staff was taking great care of him but he was sobbing and crying. I picked him up and within minutes, he was asleep on my chest.”

What an amazing example of the kind of humanity the world needs more of. Please share this story and let the cops around you know how much you appreciate them.