OKC Police Photo Captures The Hearts Of Millions

The Oklahoma City Police Department is grabbing the internet's attention for all the right reasons.

A photo posted to the department's Facebook page, has now been viewed by millions.

Law enforcement officers are trained to handle the unexpected. But when a young boy approached an Oklahoma City officer last week, no one expected a response like this.

Patrolling the streets for hours can at times handcuff Officer Kreig Cook in a state of normalcy.

"Taking calls, stopping cars," said Officer Kreig Cook with Oklahoma City police.

But what happened at one call might not have only changed the day, but changed the hearts of many.

"It reminds me of why we go to work every day because you never know whose life you're going to impact," said Officer Cook.

Officer Cook and his partner were responding to a call in Northwest Oklahoma City, when they noticed a little boy playing in the front yard.

When Officer Cook asked the boy what he's doing the boy ran to the officer not with his hands up, but his arms out.

What happened next, Officer Cook describes as raw emotion.

"You can't replicate that you can't stage that," said Officer Cook.

The boy wrapped his arms around the police man and Officer Cook was happy to return the favor.

"When you see an innocent little child come up to you and give you a hug, it just melts your heart," said Officer Cook.

That was when the real unexpected happened. The department posted the image on its Facebook page.

Officer Cook realized he may have not only impacted one, but likely some of the 57,000 likes, 5,600 shares and the 1.5 million views.

It gave Officer Cook one and half million reasons why he took the job.

"We're all born the same way, we all put our pants on one leg at a time and I think that reminds people everything is going to be OK, we've had some rough patches in the past but everything going to be ok," said Officer Cook.

After the hug, Officer Cook and the little boy played some basketball and had a foot race.

Officer Cook admitted, the little boy won.

At last check, the photo was viewed 1.5 million times and the police department said that made it one of the top five most viewed images on its Facebook page.