Homeless Man Gets Help from Police Officer Shaving Beard So He Can Apply for Job

By Sarah Carri July 24, 2018 at 10:01am

Police officers often only get recognized for the big things. Positive or negative, most of what we see about cops on social media and the news involve breaking stories.

But cops do more than just fight crime and hand out speeding tickets. They show up to kids’ birthday parties or support a local doughnut stand.

An officer from Tallahassee was caught redhanded in a random act of kindness. When Officer Carlson saw a local homeless man struggling to shave, he stepped in.

Phil asked Carlson if he knew how to fix a razor. The officer helped him tighten a screw, but Phil was still having a hard time.

With no mirror or sink, he explained to the officer that he’d been promised a job at McDonald’s if only he could clean himself up a bit.

That’s when Officer Carlson decided to take his kindness one step farther. “He was excited,” Carlson explained, “that there was a chance he was going to get a job if he just did this simple thing.”

Carlson then proceeded to help Phil with a clean shave. Little did he know someone was watching, capturing the entire encounter on film.

The City of Tallahassee Police Department shared the viral video. Watch as Officer Carlson assists Phil.

“I am so proud to live in a community where our deputies and officers are such wonderful people,” the original caption on the photo, shared by Kelly Duvall, said. “Good job Tallahassee Police Department!!!”

Thanks to Phil’s determination and Officer Carlson’s helping hand, the homeless man has since been hired on at McDonald’s. He even talked about his experience with Carlson in a video posted by Greg Tish.

When Tish told Phil he was famous online, the clean-shaven man couldn’t help but laugh. He seems like a sweet guy who just needed a little help.

Way to go, Officer Carlson. I especially loved when he said, “I like to think of us more as peace officers first, law enforcement officers second.”

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Tags:

Homeless, Jobs, Police

Sarah Carri

Contributor, Lifestyle

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Sarah Carri is an avid reader and social media guru with a passion for truth and life. Her writing has previously been published in print and online by Focus on the Family and other well known media outlets. Her experience in ministry and Disney entertainment gives her a unique perspective on such topics.

Sarah's experience as a successful working stay-at-home mom and business owner has given her the chance to write and research often. She stays up to date on the latest in entertainment and offers her views on celebrity stories based on her wide knowledge of the industry. Her success as a former preschool teacher and licensed daycare provider lend to her know-how on topics relating to parenting and childhood education.

Her thoughts on faith and family issues stem from home life and ministry work. Sarah takes time to attend workshops and classes annually that help her to improve and hone her writing craft. She is a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature program and her writing has been acclaimed by ACFW and ECPA.

Education

Institute of Children's Literature, Art Institute of Phoenix (Advertising), University of California Irvine (Theater), Snow College (Early Childhood Education)

Location

Arizona

Languages Spoken

English

Topics of Expertise

Entertainment, Faith