0 Comments Police officer Amy Greener spent eight hour trying to help the Lambeth family stay together (Image: Metropolitan Police) This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald. Kindness, not handcuffs, is the best tool in policing, says a London officer. Amy Greener, 24, has been praised for her compassionate response to a vulnerable family in crisis, a case that highlights her belief in the power of empathy. The officer, who works in Lambeth, spent eight hours helping a mother and her eight-month-old baby who had been sleeping rough. Greener said: "She gave me a massive hug at the end and wasn’t letting go. It was a long shift but I felt I’d actually made a difference. "
She began her policing career through the Police Now graduate programme in 2024. Originally from Stockport, she moved to London for the job and has since found deep purpose in helping those in need. Her approach to policing was put into action during a shift in Brixton town centre last winter, shortly after receiving homelessness training. She explained: "We could have taken the kids into police protection, but I just thought there were other ways around it. "
Greener spent three hours securing an emergency housing appointment for the family. Moments later, she encountered another woman in distress - a mother, the same age as Greener, who had been sleeping on a bench with her baby for two nights. The woman had travelled from Peterborough after being turned away by her local council, only to find herself ineligible for help from Lambeth Council. Greener took the mother and child to the police station and spent the next eight hours contacting councils and charities. She said: "I thought it would be easier to get an eight-month-old baby help. By the third hour I thought, I don’t think this is a priority. "
Police protection was considered, but it would have separated the mother and child. Greener said: "She was eight months old. And to me, it wasn’t the mother’s fault. She’d been dealt a bad hand, and no one was helping her. "At one point she said to me, ‘I feel like the only way to get my baby help is if I kill myself. ’"
Despite being told the situation was not technically a police responsibility, Greener continued to advocate for the family. Her persistence paid off. Lambeth Council eventually provided emergency accommodation for the night. A social worker was due to help build a case for permanent housing in Peterborough.