Police officer embraces distressed driver after pulling him over for speeding: 'Can I have a hug?'

Small gestures of kindness can truly go a long way. A Kansas deputy officer proved that compassion can help anyone who's having a bad day. Johnson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) Deputy Bussell pulled over a distressed driver for speeding on August 5. Instead of being harsh with the suspect, the officer offered words of encouragement after he revealed he was going through some personal challenges. The man then asked, "Can I have a hug? I need a hug. Can I have a hug, please?"

"Sure! Sure. Yeah," Deputy Bussell said. "I don't mean to bother you, I'm sorry," the driver apologized. "No, you're good, man. I promise you, it's going to get better," Deputy Bussell said while embracing the man. Johnson County, KS Sheriff's Office shared in a Facebook post that once he addressed the reason for the stop, he spoke to the driver to ensure he would head to his final destination. "The men and women of the #JCSO come in contact with people every day who are going through their own battles. We strive to be compassionate while serving our community. This is our pledge to you. #communityfirst."

The story is a profound reminder to be kind to each other. Many users were touched by the single act of compassion by the officer and shared their views on YouTube. @TBTrade commented, "It's hard out there nowadays. People are struggling. That deputy very well may have saved that man with that gesture." @profoundclarity8497 added, "damn, I felt that hug all the way over here..." @Harley57 couldn't help but get emotional over the connection between two strangers, noting, "This brings tears to my eyes, sometimes a hug is all someone needs. This officer brings out the best not only as an officer but as a man. Thank you, Mr. Officer."

It is also great to hear stories about good cops, being there for the community as well as their four-legged companions. In August, a Virginia police officer who always considered himself a dog person and "never thought of owning a cat" ended up saving a kitten's life. Officer Timothy Rugg brought home a furry feline after he responded to a service call on July 13. The officer, with the Harrisonburg Police Department, first met Penny-Furthing, the 3-month-old kitten, after hearing that she was thrown from a vehicle onto a Harrisonburg street. 

According to PEOPLE, the caller took her home and bathed her but could not keep or transfer her to the Rockingham Harrisonburg SPCA themselves. Rugg told WHSV that he agreed to take the abandoned kitten to the shelter. "She was hiding under a couch. I reached under and got her, and she immediately crawled onto my shoulder and perched onto it like a parrot and started purring," he said.

When he got to the SPCA to drop the kitten off, he knew something wasn't right. "I just felt like she wanted to be with me, and before that, I never saw myself owning a cat. I thought I was a dog person, but we just kind of bonded immediately, and I just knew I had to take her with me," he explained.