LMPD officer praised for putting his shoes on homeless woman's swollen feet

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - An officer with the Louisville Metro Police Department was recognized publicly by the force for the kindness he showed a homeless woman Thursday.

LMPD posted on its Facebook page a photo of 4th District Officer Jeff Emerich putting a shoe on the woman's foot.

"Today he had an interaction at 4th and Oak St. with a homeless woman whose feet were so swollen that they would not fit into her shoes," the post reads. "Officer Emerich then took a pair of his own shoes from his patrol car and put them on her feet. Great work sir!"

Support for the officer and the homeless woman came swiftly on social media. Shonda Barlow Garner posted in response to Emerich's action, "Thank you Sir (sic) for having a heart of compassion for someone who others would look down on. You make me so proud to be a Metro employee."

Chris Broughton wrote, "I witnessed a similar act of compassion on the part of a Jefferson County Deputy last year. Louisville and Jefferson Co. are home to some of the finest people to ever wear a badge. This is the difference between simply being 'law enforcement' and being a genuine part of the communities they serve."

As of Friday morning, the post had been liked nearly 3,000 times, shared more than 1,100 times and 160 comments had been left below it.

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