BOCA RATON, Fla. (CBS12) -- For most police officers, the job centers on enforcement.
For Officer Gabriel Cox, it starts with connection.
On a recent day, Cox pulled up outside an apartment complex -- not to respond to a call, but to check in on someone he helped months earlier.
"Just checking in, making sure you're good," he said as the door opened.
That simple exchange reflects a different kind of policing -- one rooted in trust, patience and compassion.
Cox is one of two full-time homeless liaison officers with the Boca Raton Police Department. His role focuses on helping people experiencing homelessness access the resources they need to get back on their feet -- everything from identification and medical care to housing and government benefits.
"A lot of times there's mental health, substance abuse and prior interactions with law enforcement," Cox said. "Letting them know we're not there for enforcement -- we're there for compassion."
Among those he's helped is Richard Giorgetti, a 64-year-old Navy veteran who spent two years living on the streets.
The two met at a local food pantry. At first, Giorgetti was hesitant to trust him.
But Cox remained consistent, continuing to show up and offer help. Eventually, Giorgetti opened up -- and Cox learned about his military service.
"I immediately reached out to my VA contact," Cox said. "Within two weeks, they were able to get him into transitional housing."
Cox continued working with Giorgetti, helping him secure identification, apply for Social Security benefits and navigate services needed to regain stability.
That support proved critical.
After getting off the streets, Giorgetti was diagnosed with a serious heart condition requiring surgery -- something he may not have survived without intervention.
"I'm alive because of him," Giorgetti said.
Today, Giorgetti lives in his own apartment and says Cox has become more than just an officer.
"He's probably the closest friend I have right now," he said. "He is the only one that has actually gone through and did what he said. He raised my faith in humanity."
For Cox, stories like Giorgetti's are the goal -- but not the expectation.
"They're already at their lowest point," he said. "I'm not there to bring them any lower. I'm there to lift them up just treat them with dignity, just like everybody else."
He says the work requires patience and persistence, understanding that not everyone is ready to accept help right away.
"Don't rush things," Cox said. "When it's their time and they're ready, they'll find me -- or I'll catch them on the right day."
While not every outcome ends in permanent housing, Cox continues to show up each day, hoping to make a difference -- one conversation at a time.
As for Giorgetti, he's now focused on his health and his future, grateful for a second chance he says wouldn't have been possible without someone who refused to give up on him.