SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla.-- A Longwood police officer did a good deed after a routine traffic stop did not go as expected.
- Officers notice child not properly restrained during traffic stop
- They wrote no tickets, instead bought and installed car seat
- Bryant hopes this will help change perception of law enforcement
Officer Steven Bryant pulled over a man for making an improper turn. He then noticed that the mans child was not properly restrained.
"He told me he didn't have the funds to get the car seat. At the time he was driving up to St. Johns County, towards St. Augustine," said Bryant.
Instead of writing any tickets he and Corporal Ryan Short went to Walmart, and bought the man a car seat.
"My job is to protect and I figured if I get a car seat and protect him, I am doing part of my job," he explained.
While Short installed the car seat Bryant noticed the boy was wearing Ninja Turtles shirt and they bonded over common interests.
"I love the Ninja Turtles, there's one in my cop car, so I used that as a bonding thing with him," he added.
Bryant noted that the boy was very curious so he let him have some fun.
"In the picture he seems shy but when we weren't in front of the camera he was running around asking questions, inside the car asking where I keep the prisoners at or the bad people I take to jail - I showed him that," said Bryant. " I let him turn on my lights and sirens and he thought it was just the coolest thing in the world - his eyes just lit up."
Once the car seat was installed he let the father and the boy go.
"My parents always raised me that if I'm able to help somebody, to do it," Bryant explained.
Bryant explained that did not do this for media attention but hopes people can see that in law enforcement their is a lot more positive than what is portrayed in society.
"It was just the right thing to do, and I think if people will start focusing on that I think it will change the perception law enforcement has."