Louisiana Child’s Perspective on Police Changed by Officer

The Washington Christmas Festival featured great music, Santa and Mrs. Claus, many items to purchase, and a police officer who changed a little girl's perception of our world. And, maybe this teaches all of us something. That's up to you to decide.

Who Was The Officer?

There was a post from a woman named Cindy Torian asking if anyone could help her identify the officer in the photo because, in the heartwarming exchange that happened, she didn't remember.

Here is what she posted with the pictures,

Sabrina was afraid of "the cops" until today. She made a wonderful new friend at the Washington Christmas Festival. If anyone knows who this officer is, please let me know. 

 

An Officer Was About To Help A Little Girl Get Over Her Fear

Officer Nick Frank has worked in law enforcement for over a dozen years and works with the Opelousas Police Department. He was there at the festival. He's a tall, muscular officer with a 10,000-watt smile.

Cindy Torian, who works for Opelousas General Health System, decided to go to the festival, and she was with her 4-year-old granddaughter, Sabrina Deschant.

When you are a petite young child and see a police officer, you will be intimidated because many police officers are usually large, imposing figures. You often see officers in parades with vehicles that have extremely loud sirens and imposing vehicles. That has been the case for little Sabrina.

The Officer Related To This Child One-On-One, Like We All Should

Torian often heard her granddaughter mention she was scared of police officers when she saw them because they looked like giants, and she saw them wearing guns. All of that changed on Saturday, December 14, when Officer Frank met the acquaintance of little Sabrina. And for those asking, it's not because her parents gave the child that perception.

On that Saturday, as they were walking around at the festival, Torian heard her granddaughter say she was scared of cops, and Torian explained she didn't have to be scared by saying, "Cops are your friends." She said she told Sabrina she was going to tell an officer hello. Torian introduced herself to the police officer and then introduced her granddaughter to Frank. He gave the biggest smile, letting his kindness shine through, according to Torian.

He talked to her, he got down on her level, he made her laugh, one human being to another. It's the way we should remember to talk to each other. You never know what perspective someone is coming from, what they've seen, what they've been through, and he says he always keeps that in mind with others.

That big smile led to pictures taken, capturing the moment Frank began talking to her and trying to make her smile. It's something he does with anyone, little or big. Eventually, he reached out just one arm to her, and Torian says the little girl ran into his arms for a giant hug. They visited briefly, and then Torian and Deschant continued walking through the festival.

Torian says that the huge smile, the tender, sweet kindness toward the child, and that hug had magical powers for little Sabrina. She walked around for the rest of the festival, telling everyone she could, "I made a new friend today. I made friends with a cop."

The Hug And Smile That Tell The Story

Torian says she appreciated the officer for making Sabrina understand that even if someone is tall and big, they won't necessarily be intimidating. She says he really reached out to her granddaughter, and she appreciates it very much because "we're all in this together."

Officer Frank says that while he is not perfect, he tries to make people happy no matter the situation. He says he has always been a people person. He says that as people come into the courthouse or if he sees them out somewhere, he can relate to things they are going through, and he makes sure they understand someone does understand.

He says about Sabrina, "She made my day"! He says being in and talking to anyone in the community is what he loves to do. He says he works to make people happy and be himself. He says whether it's his five children or someone else's child, he wants them to know you can talk to police officers. He says he spends time with people, and the most important thing is that he listens to them; he says that makes all the difference in the world.

How Did They Identify The Officer?

People started to comment about him and the pictures right away!

I saw the post, and a woman's name immediately appeared on Facebook...Tonya Henry posted,

Jessica Frank, this is his wife. 

I contacted her, and she helped me talk to her husband, Officer Frank. My friend Cindy Veillon Mattei helped me track down Cindy Torian this week. I got the story from each of them. Both were so kind and sweet, leaving me feeling like Christmas had just landed right in my lap.

And I Leave You With This (My Belief/Opinion)

You see, I happen to believe miracles still happen all the time, but we never get quiet enough to hear them or still enough to see them, so we miss them (I miss things all the time). This might not seem like a miracle to you, but grace(love) over fear won the day for everyone involved and the people who watched it all unfold, and now you have seen it, too. One showed love, and the other trusted enough to receive it. And, then, she gave it right back when she hugged him, too. Nick, Cindy, and Sabrina are paying it forward by sharing this story, and I can't thank them enough.

Has anyone else noticed that Officer Frank's first name is Nick?

Cops are the good guys; we "are all in this together."

And....it's okay to still believe in miracles. 

Merry Christmas!