'An upstanding gentleman': Police officer shaves homeless man’s beard in parking lot so he can get a job
A woman was sitting in her car in Tallahassee when she noticed the strangest sight.
A police officer was shaving a man's beard outside a gas station.
The officer was Tony Carlson of the Tallahassee Police Department in Florida but who was the other man?
He was homeless and had been just rejected by the McDonald's restaurant next door, who told him he couldn't start working there until he had shaved off his beard.
#MustWatch Officer Carlson talks about how he met Phil, a local homeless man, and how he helped Phil with shaving his beard so he could apply for a job. The whole story told by Officer Carlson who says he was just doing his job by helping others.https://t.co/EQ1MZwKZal
— Tallahassee Police (@TallyPD) July 24, 2018
The woman watching them was curious as to what she had witnessed so when the homeless man left, she offered to buy Tony a drink and asked him what had just taken place.
Officer Tony told her about the exchange that he'd overheard in McDonald's.
On hearing it, Officer Tony had bought some clippers in the gas station next door and offered to shave the man’s beard in the parking lot.
Once he was done, the homeless man went back to see if he could start the job.
Impressed by this story, the woman sent a video of Tony and the homeless man to the Tallahassee Police Department.
“I am so proud to live in a community where our deputies and officers are such wonderful people,” said the woman according to the Good News Network.
Just saw this on Facebook and good on you TPD. pic.twitter.com/JxC4CaPTmB
— Madison Social (@MadisonSocial) July 22, 2018
The reaction to this story on social media has been extremely supportive.
The video on Facebook has gotten 1.5k likes, almost 1k shares and over 100 comments.
Some comments included, ''love this, does a heart good! May Blessings pour out for both these men!'' and ''thank you Officer Tony Carlson for being an upstanding gentleman and a honest officer. You are a true role model. Be safe out there.''
One other person wrote, ''what a wonderful man….that is a step beyond…and such an example for all of us about how “small” acts of kindness can change someone’s life.''
Well done to Officer Tony!