FORT WAYNE, Indiana -- Veteran police officer Ricky Howard was patrolling the Centennial Townhomes in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Thanksgiving when he spotted a child running around with shoes untied. When Officer Howard advised the child to slow down and tie his shoes, the child replied he did not know how to tie his shoes.
"I said, 'Do you want me to do it?' and he got real happy about it, said 'Yeah', I got out, tied his shoes and I left, that's it," Officer Howard recalled. "I didn't see the girl taking the picture nor do I know who the little boy is."
The girl turned out to be Melissa Caballero. She thanked Officer Howard on social media and posted the photo where it was been shared and liked thousands of times. Officer Howard admitted he was a little confused by all the attention the photo has received.
"You get to know basically everybody out there, kids love cops, so this is what we do," he said. "It was a good thing, I guess, with all the negativity going on."
Howard has been a police officer for nearly 30 years. He plans to retire next year.
"He's about to go out to go out on a very high note," he wife Freta said. "So, this has just made it more festive for our family."
