Phoenix Officer Joseph Mayfield assists an elderly man outside of a local shopping mall. A citizen snapped the photo and shared it on social media. (Photo: Phoenix PD/Twitter)
A grainy photo taken from a distance delivered a powerful message on social media after an observant citizen watched a Phoenix police officer hold the hand of an elderly man outside of Desert Sky Mall.
“I saw the man in the rearview mirror of my patrol car while in the parking lot and he approached the window looking for help,” Officer Joseph Mayfield told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Tuesday. “He was afraid if he walked too fast he would fall.”
That’s when the 19-year veteran of the Phoenix Police Department took the older gentleman by the hand and helped him get to where he needed to be inside the mall.
“I started to leave and I stopped and thought, if he needed assistance to get here he’s probably going to need assistance to get back so I just waited for him,” Mayfield said.
A citizen saw the whole thing unfold and posted the photo on her Instagram with a caption saying, “Thank you for all you do.”
