An Arkansas police officer is making a huge impact far beyond his community, thanks to his unique approach to policing.
The antics of one Arkansas police officer are making a huge impact far beyond his community, thanks to his unique approach to policing.
North Little Rock police officer Tommy Norman is not your average cop. His patrols often involve productions of playing, dancing, singing and visiting with members of his community.
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A self-proclaimed "friend" to citizens in his jurisdiction, Norman believes gaining the trust of the people is an important and rewarding aspect of his job, and he often goes the extra mile to get it.
Activities recorded on the officer’s social media accounts show him playing, dancing, singing, and visiting with members of the community.
From surprising children with toys and treats, to chauffeuring elderly citizens to the store and make them smile, Officer Norman believes an effort has to be made to make a difference.
“It’s about going to slip-n-slide with the kids, or having a water gun fight with them, dancing with them — you really have to take it to the next step and go above and beyond because they’ll remember it,” Officer Norman told InsideEdition.com.
"[Police officers are] going to be there, they’re going to work there, but the question is, are you going to commit yourself to them and be a part of their lives?” Norman told InsideEdition.com.
The honest relationships he has built with members of the North Little Rock community have captivated his social media followers around the world.
“I know when I put on this uniform, that automatically people are going to be looking up to me, especially kids, so it has a really huge impact on me to know kids are looking up to me as a member of the police department,” Norman said.
It's not just children that Officer Norman reaches out to.
He regularly visits with elderly, formerly imprisoned and disabled people to spread a message of generosity and care.
Apart from his exceptional personal outreach, Norman continues to credit the people around him, as well as his police department, for their kindness, friendliness and integrity.
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"North Little Rock is a close-knit community," Norman told InsideEdition.com. "We’re in the south, so obviously you know, we’re friendly people. We love people to come and visit. We love each other."
He added: "Our police department is really supported by a lot of members of the community. They respect our job and look out for us."
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