NYPD officer's generosity goes viral

NYPD officer's generosity goes viral

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MYFOXNY.COM/AP -

An NYPD officer's act of kindness has gone viral on Facebook.

Jennifer Foster, a Florence, Ariz., tourist, posted a photograph of Police Officer Larry DePrimo, of the 6th Precinct, giving a homeless man a pair of boots and socks on a frigid night in Times Square on Nov. 17.

The image became an instant hit on the NYPD's Facebook page. More than 383,152 users "liked" his generosity as of Thursday afternoon.

Newsday reported that DePrimo lives in Holbrook, Long Island.

The homeless man said he'd never had a pair of shoes. DePrimo purchased a pair of insulated boots and thermal socks and put them on the man's feet.

DePrimo said the man "smiled from ear to ear. It was like you gave him a million dollars."

The head of the PBA, a union that represents uniformed officers, praised DePrimo and said that cops' gestures aren't always publicized.

"His spontaneous act of kindness to a less fortunate man is just one of thousands of random acts of kindness that police officers routinely do to help someone in need," PBA President Pat Lynch said in a statement. "It's not unusual for an officer to dip into his or her own pocket or to reach out to help secure aid for someone in need. It happens all of the time and it is usually unseen. We commend Larry and all of his brother and sister officers for all the unseen good they do everyday."

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