A police officer’s job is to protect the community, and perhaps nowhere is their work more important than on the streets. When a police car’s red and blue lights start flashing, every motorist knows that someone is about to feel the long arm of the law and hopes it’s not them. But it’s not every day that you see a three-year-old child being pulled over by the cops. That’s exactly what happened one Sunday in March 2017 when Nathan Snow, a toddler from Fort McMurray, Canada, was out enjoying some fresh air with his parents.
The Snow family had spent the afternoon at the local playground, bringing along their Pomeranian dog, Lacy. On their way back home, however, the unexpected happened. A police car appeared with its flashing lights, showering the scene in red and blue. The family realized the officer was trying to pull them over for something they had done, but they couldn’t figure out what. The policeman then rolled down his window and spoke to the parents. What he said left them baffled.
Specifically, the officer commented, “Hey, would you guys mind if I pulled him over?” The cop was referring to their three-year-old son, who was riding a battery-powered toy truck along the street. His parents agreed to the request, then stood back and watched the whole scene unfold. Nathan was sitting in his child-sized Ford F-150, minding his own business, with the family dog, Lucy, sitting in the back of the mini pickup truck. The sight was undeniably adorable.
The police officer got out of his vehicle and approached the toddler, holding a piece of paper. He walked up to little Nathan and showed him what the paper said. After leaning down to talk to the three-year-old, he explained, “This is a ticket for you going too fast,” as though it were a real traffic stop. However, it was clear this was no ordinary ticket. The pink paper didn’t specify any fine Nathan had to pay. Instead, it simply stated the reason for the stop: “Too fast.”
But there was no money involved. Instead, the officer came up with a unique punishment for the little boy. After handing over the ticket, the policeman explained the consequences: “When you get home, you need to help your mom with laundry for the ticket.” The toddler, a bit confused by the situation, simply said, “Okay,” and accepted the ticket. With the pink paper in one hand, Nathan shook the cop’s hand with the other before receiving a pat on the head. And that’s how Nathan’s first encounter with the law concluded.
Nathan’s parents told CBC News in March 2017 that their son, being only three years old, hadn’t fully understood who the police officer was. Nonetheless, he seemed to enjoy the experience. “When the lights came on, he was kind of just looking around like a deer in the headlights. He took his paper and was pretty excited,” his mom explained. Nathan’s parents also found the situation hilarious. They filmed the encounter on a mobile phone and uploaded it to Facebook, where it quickly garnered thousands of views.
The video later appeared on YouTube via Inside Edition’s account, titled “Police Officer Pulls Over Three-Year-Old Speeding in Toy Convertible.” The clip boasts over 150,000 views, with many commenters praising the officer’s sense of humor. “It’s good to see police get to have fun on the job. Everyone needs some good days,” wrote one user. However, as is often the case on the internet, not everyone was amused. Some critics felt the interaction was a waste of police time. “Seems like a waste of time for the cops to be doing this on their job,” commented one viewer. Others expressed harsher opinions. One person even complained, “If I did that, I would have been taken to jail for no insurance and license. Just because it’s a toy doesn’t mean that they [Nathan] have the privilege to ride on the street.”
Beyond the video, Nathan’s mom, Heather Snow, also uploaded a photo of the “speeding ticket” to Facebook. This too sparked discussion, with some users praising the parents for letting the officer pull their son over. For instance, Frank Sparks commented, “He’s being taught by parents who are good role models. That’s worth more than most realize. Thank you for sharing it and for raising a good little man.” Heather expressed her delight at reading the comment, particularly since others had been more critical. “I’ve needed to hear that today after seeing some nasty comments towards my parenting,” she replied.
Ultimately, no one was harmed during the incident, and the adorable encounter likely brought smiles to thousands of people. The experience may have even taught little Nathan a bit about road safety—a lesson that’s never too early to learn. If you liked this story, please give it a thumbs up and consider sharing it with someone who might find it interesting. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more heartwarming tales.
