An Evening w/ Officer Tommy Norman

Early one December morning while scrolling through Facebook I came across a event with Officer Tommy Norman. If you do not know who Officer Norman is, a quick Google search will yield thousands of posts about this small town officer who has captured the hearts of millions with his community policing. When the officer involved shootings where a common headline, Officer Norman was interviewed countless times. Many people wanted to understand how Officer Norman was able to connect so powerfully with not only the white community but the black community.
When I saw he was coming to Portsmouth, Virginia I knew I had to go to hear his story.







This past Friday, I sat front row as Officer Tommy Norman shared his story of how he’s become an

internet sensation. Officer Norman's dream to help others started when he was only 13. He saw a ‘Feed the Children’ commercial and donated all his hard earned grass cutting money to help a child thousands of miles away. His mother noted that he was helping a stranger, someone he would never see or interact with. But, Officer Norman said he did not care. He just wanted to help someone in need.

“I don’t know much, but I’ve always known how to love people,” Norman said.

Love, simple yet so powerful is what motivated Officer Norman to do what he does. His shows his love with compassionate policing. He shows his love by visiting disabled residents in his beat and spending time with them. He shows his love by giving thank you cards to people in his every day life. He shows his love by buying coffee for elderly people. It is simple. It is patient. It is kind. It is Christ like. The way I want to love anyone who invests in me personally or professionally.

Officer Norman’s story made me realize that no matter what our profession is we can all show love to people in our work. As an aspiring author, motivational speaker, and mental health advocate Officer Norman inspires me to show love not just in my passions but also in my work.

Officer Norman chronicles his community policing on Facebook. And people all over the world have come to know and love many of the people he features on his Facebook page. It is through those stories that people see his love for people personally. This simple act is inspiring so many people in so many powerful ways.

A woman in the audience shared that during chemotherapy for cancer Officer Norman’s Facebook lives is the only thing that makes her laugh when she is in the throws of fear, and pain. Tears welled up in my eyes when I heard that. I thought to myself, " This is the power of love."

Here is a snippet of the talk he gave in Portsmouth. I wanted to record the whole thing, but I was so captivated by his story I wanted to experience it fully.

I had an opportunity to take a picture with Officer Norman and meet him personally afterwards. I was struck by his humility. He thanked me for coming, and gave a me genuine hug.

Such an inspiration!