Why an LDS Man's Video About His "Disturbing" Experience with a Police Officer Is Going Viral

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Cody Bringham was doing what many Mormons in Utah County were doing this week. Getting his car stuck in the snow.

After receiving about a foot and a half of snow overnight, Bringham got his car stuck on the side of a busy road on his way to work.

That's when a cop pulled up. "He parked right by me," Bringham shares in a video he posted on Facebook. "He got out of his car, put on some gloves, and just started pushing the back of my car."

Within a matter of minutes, Bringham found himself on the same road, nearly in the same spot—his car once again stuck. "The same police officer rolled up and got out of his car, put on his gloves, and started pushing me out," Bringham shares. But this time, the officer had to grab a shovel to help dig the car out, even slipping in the process.

Bringham then watched the officer help two more people whose cars were stuck in the snow.

That's when Bringham gets shares the disturbing part of his encounter.

"The disturbing part was when he rolled up, my first thoughts were, 'I'm in trouble for something,'" Bringham says, thinking of his broken brake light. "I thought at least, even if he was there to help me, he'd be rude or out to get me . . . but that just wasn't the case. I feel he was the kind of person who would have stopped to help even if he wasn't working that day."

Then, Bringham realized the crux of his fears. "I think what was really disturbing was I am starting to develop this mentality of fear of police officers because that's what I see on the news and is being shared on social media. Those are the stories that get traction. And I don't think that's right."

While Bringham recognizes that there can be corruption and there are negative stories regarding police officers, he asks viewers to not generalize and not assume the worst—a lesson that should be applied with all those we come in contact with.

"There is an officer somewhere today who won't come home to his family because he is putting his life on the line . . . for you and me," Bringham says before challenging those who watch the video to share a positive story of police officers on social media.

With 214 comments, 7,717 shares, and over 550,000 views, people have begun taking Bringham's challenge seriously. In the comments, Bringham shared the name of the police officer who helped him, Officer Austin Williams, saying:

"Here's part of the message he wrote to me. 'Really though most of our department is made of officers like this. So if you didn't use my name as to give more credit to the whole department/profession rather just one individual that would be great too.'"

Lead image from video above
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