BURNSVILLE, Minn. (WCCO) — Normally security cameras are installed to catch bad or illegal acts. But a couple in Burnsville caught something else on their camera when their children got a surprise visit from a police officer.

Becky Heinz and her children, 4-year-old Elizabeth and 2-year-old Samuel, often play in the front yard. But last week, something special happened.

“There was a policeman that was up the street responding to a call and when he pulled away he stopped and saw the kids, they were playing with, I think it was plastic golf clubs,” Heinz said.

So he gave the kiddos some toy balls.

“He asked them what they were doing, what they were playing with and you know, you need golf balls if you’re gonna play golf,” Heinz said.

Heinz says since the officer’s good deed was caught on their surveillance camera, her husband decided to share it on YouTube, because he feels our police don’t get enough of the praise that they deserve.

“We thought it was pretty cool. Samuel wants to be a police officer when he grows up, so it was pretty cool for him right?” Heinz said.

“I just saw it and I thought it was a great opportunity and they had golf clubs out, which I’m a big golfer,” Officer Shawn Mahaney said.

Mahaney didn’t know about the YouTube post until Burnsville police tracked him down Monday.

He says he was surprised at first, but leaving a positive impact has always been a big part of his job.

“It’s something pretty special for our job. You get to be that positive note, maybe put a smile on their face for that day,” he said. “So it’s something unique that we get to do with our job which I really enjoy.”