Photo of Arlington Officer Teaching Elderly Resident to Use iPhone Wins National Photo Contest

ARLINGTON, MA — They say a picture paints 1,000 words, and that saying rings true of the photo that won the Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) "Community Policing in Action" photo contest.

What appeared to be a mundane photo of a police officer teaching an elderly Arlington resident how to use her iPhone meant so much more to one family, according to a DOJ announcement. When the resident's out-of town family became worried after not being able to contact her, Officer Jessica Scearbo responded to the scene.

Scearbo observed the woman to be fine, but she told the officer that her phone would not complete phone calls. Scearbo later realized that she didn't know how to use her cell phone, and spent a few extra minutes making sure she knew how to use it.

The DOJ's COPS office started the photo contest in 2015. The APD's photo contest was selected among 200 photo submissions during the one-month submission period.

Image via the Arlington Police Department