Police Officer Offers Hopeful Advice to Law Enforcement Officials

A North Little Rock police officer has given some excellent advice on the best way to go about community policing.

Officer Tommy Norman addressed St. Louis police, local government leaders, and residents on Sept. 28, 2016, saying that police should spend more time outside of their cars.

?Put more miles on your police boots than your police car,? he said.

Officer Norman’s personal mantra has helped him engage with his local community members in a time when the police aren’t always trusted. By spending more time with his police boots to the pavement, he has become equal parts authority and friend to his community.

Of course, if Officer Norman plans on spending more time in his work boots than with his feet free and sitting, then he probably needs some quality, comfortable boots that allow him to move freely.

Different police officer prefer different types of boots. While some may prefer heavy duty work boots that are heavy and can help them stand their ground, others prefer more lightweight varieties that can help the officers move quickly and stealthily.

Some officers want a nice shine on their boots, because as an authority figure, police need to look the part. Officer Norman prefers his boots light, like his heart.

He’s proven the effectiveness of his approach to policing by allowing children to handcuff him in the back of his own police car, which he believes they will remember forever and promote their trust in him and other law enforcement officers.

?Year after year after year, those relationships — they don?t go away,” said Officer Norman. “When those kids run to your police car…they see past the uniform. They see that friend.”

As the North Little Rock Police Department adopted Norman’s approach, crime rates began to fall in the area, and they have stayed down even through these difficult times in U.S. history.

Officer Norman’s visit to St. Louis is very busy busy. He’s served ice cream with St. Louis police officers on the Polar Cops ice cream truck, as well as thrown out the first pitch before the Cardinals game at Busch Stadium.

“As a police officer, your badge should have a heartbeat and not an ego,? said Norman, who has clearly proven the size of his heart.