Caught on camera: Boy escapes close encounter with shark thanks to police officer in Florida

COCOA BEACH, Fla. -- A boy escaped a close encounter with a shark thanks to a police officer, and it was caught on camera.

An off-duty Cocoa Beach police officer was walking near the pier on Thursday when he noticed a shark approaching a small boy on a boogie board.

He quickly got into the water and pulled the boy from the surf as the shark began to get dangerously close, within only a couple of feet at its nearest distance.

Great white sharks seen in drone video recorded off Ventura County coast

Anyone planning to visit a Southern California beach this Father's Day weekend should keep in mind that great white sharks have recently been spotted off the coast.