Tommy Norman

Tommy Norman (born August 22, 1972 in the Levy section of North Little Rock, Arkansas) is a longtime patrolman/officer who has worked in the North Little Rock Police Department since 1998. Norman has patrolled some of the toughest neighborhoods in North Little Rock.

Born to parents Modena and Dean Norman, Norman Graduated from Ole Main High School in 1990. Between 1991 and 1998, he worked many jobs in the nursing & mental health field. He worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Riley's Oak Hill Manor Nursing Home. Norman was also a mental health worker at Pinnacle Pointe Hospital (courtesy of interview with Mr. Norman).

Norman is known for building relationships within the communities he works in as it’s called positive community policing. For years Norman has amassed a positive reputation for police officers in North Little Rock, central Arkansas and beyond. Norman’s unorthodox approach to policing includes thousands of video posts, pictures and daily interactive engagement at the Boys & Girls Clubs and the Police Athletic League with those that he protects and serves. He uses social media [Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram] and a variety of ways to inspire the world, a world where too often police are seen in a negative light with brutality, abuse of force and poor relationships with citizens. He is credited for doing things like presenting 50 NLRSD students with backpacks and $50 gift cards from Shoe Carnival in August to purchase shoes, starting the “Shop with a Cop” program to help financially struggling students or just dancing with the children.[1]

Norman is a decorated law enforcement officer in the North Little Rock Police Department assigned to the patrol division, and works out of the downtown substation. He has two children and eight siblings. Norman is frequently requested to speak at events both locally and nationally. In 2015, he has worked with both citizens and other law enforcement officers with the RESPOND-I-BILITY presentation series that shows citizens that they have the ability to respond-responsibly to law enforcement.

He has recently gained national and international attention for his unconventional methods of law enforcement. The national and international expose of Tommy Norman came from a televised CNN News cable program on May 10, 2015 during an interview on Newsroom with its host Brooke Baldwin and her guest Atlanta Social Activist and rapper Michael Santiago Render, known professionally as ‘Killer Mike.’ This exchange between Brooke Baldwin and Killer Mike reveals much as he explains Officer Tommy Norman’s role. He follows him on Instagram and professes that Norman is "doing something right" and that is connecting with inner-city youth, in particular minority communities of color. He is often quoted by saying that he hopes to "inspire" others.[2]

He was also featured in the Today show on November 8, 2015. This report features some of the day-to-day activities he does with the neighborhood and specifically how he is well liked by children. It also details how he uses social media to spread positivity throughout his neighborhood. Reporter Kerry Sanders has coined the term “Social Media Cop” for him.[3]

Norman is known nationally for his community involvement and "encouraging others to go out and make a difference in their corner of the world." Aviate through Knowledge Executive Director Edmond Davis has called Officer Norman the "minister of positive community policing in America."

Awards and certificates

• February 2011- Received NLRPD Chiefs Award

• April 2011- Received the Military Order of World Wars ( MOWW) Law & Order Award

• May 2011 - Named the Americas Most Wanted National Police Officer of the Year

• September 2011 - Named the Arkansas Certified Public Managers ( ACPM ) 2011 Arkansas Public Servant of the Year

• October 2011- Named the Arkansas Attorney Genera District 2 Arkansas Outstanding Officer of the Year

• January 2012 - Received Community Service Award & Special Recognition from Centennial Bank for being awarded the 2011 Americas Most Wanted/Sprint All-Star Award

• February 2012 - Received letter of Special Recognition from the North Little Rock Police Department for being awarded the 2011 Americas Most Wanted/Sprint All-Star Award

• April 2012- Named the North Little Rock School District Volunteer of the Year for Park Hill Elementary School

• January 2013 - Received community service award from the Rose City Community Church of Christ

• February 2014 - Received NLRPD Community Service award[4]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.nlrsd.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_228269/File/Migration/Officer%20Tommy%20Norman.pdf
  2. ↑ http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/05/06/rapper-why-this-cop-is-doing-it-right.cnn
  3. ↑ http://www.today.com/video/meet-the-family-behind-the-2015-rockefeller-center-christmas-tree-560816195895
  4. ↑ "Officer Norman, the Cop that cares! Positive Policing exists in Little Rock.". BlogTalkRadio. Retrieved 2015-11-16.

Sources

• http://www.arkansasmatters.com/news/local-news/web-extra-nlr-officer-tommy-norman-dances-with-kids-at-bus-stop

• http://www.goodnewsblog.com/2008/01/17/officers-take-kids-on-shopping-spree

• http://www.mtv.com/news/2157937/killer-mike-officer-norman/

• http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh4WooZHloHh38cmgC

• http://www.aviatethroughknowledge.com/Home_Page.html

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