Peace and Security

This photo provided by Jennifer Foster shows New York City Police Officer Larry DePrimo presenting a barefoot homeless man in New York's Time Square with boots Nov. 14, 2012 .

Now that is interesting.  The most populous city in the United States, and infamously one of the most crime-ridden as well, has celebrated a full twenty-four hours without one single, solitary incident of violence having been committed.  NYPD is shocked, too amazed for words other than to admit they cannot recall the last time the city that never sleeps went a full 24 hours without a violent crime being responded to.

No one shot, strangled, stabbed or viciously beaten.  Where were all the mobsters?  In 1990 a total of 2,245 murders were committed in the city.  In 2012 there was an average of a murder-a-day: 366.  Toward the conclusion of 2011 1,674 people had been listed as shot; about five each day of the year.  And that's a huge improvement over 1994 when the NYPD began computer tracking, when 4,967 people had been shot; 14 a day.

For eight million people to have behaved themselves in that twenty-four hour period to the extent that no violence was reported or attended to, comes close to miraculous.  Could violence-by-proxy, being glued to television sets and computers watching videos of brutality and slaughter taking place elsewhere in the world, most notably the Middle East, be satisfying the penchant for violence on a temporary basis?

Chicago by comparison with about one-third the population of New York has experienced a high level of gun crime this year, with 462 murders to date.  New Yorkers, we can assume, are just that much more civilized?  Just asking.  And here may be some proof: an NYPD officer, Larry DePrimo went out of his way to personally secure a pair of boots and warm socks for a homeless man without either.

The homeless man was sitting on the pavement when Officer DePrimo approached him, boots and socks in hand, saying to the man: "I have these size 12 boots for you, they are all-weather.  Let's put them on and take care of you", as he squatted down before the man and assisted him in taking possession of these rare gifts.

Unknown to the police officer, another police officer visiting from Arizona had witnessed the event, and she recorded what she saw on her cellphone.  "The officer squatted down on the ground and proceeded to put socks and the new boots on this man.  The officer expected nothing in return and did not know I was watching", explained Jennifer Foster.

The photo she took was posted to the NYPD's Facebook page.  Thousands commented on it.  And Officer DePrimo did, in fact, get his reward: an incredulous look of surprise on the man's face followed by a wide smile.