I’ve known Rick for a lot of years now.  Yup.  Just as you’d think of a ‘typical’ cop here in Iowa…  Tall, white, tattoos, body builder, ultra type A personality, and ego somewhere between huge and monstrous…

Too few understand him though.  Sure, they know he has no shortage of opinions to offer, and he can be abrasive too.  But they miss the truth.  I think he really enjoys his job and likes being a cop in every sense of the word.  He can write citations, especially if you get belligerent.  He can settle your domestic dispute, or at least diffuse it.  He can pull you over for a broken tail light, regardless of your race.  He can grind your face in the pavement if you force him to.  But what too many miss is the true nature of a really good policeman is the desire to connect to those they seek to serve.

Rick likes those connections and he’s efficient and talented at forming them.  Those connections, and more importantly the interior desire to make, manifest themselves in a really great platform for civil servants.  I wish more folks would consider that when they reflect on our law enforcement as a whole.  Some may believe certain people wanted to get into the cop business for all sorts of reasons, but it usually boils down to a combination of connection and service.  Let’s treat them in a manner that honors the motivation to their job.

I loved this video he and his partner put together with a bunch of help from others.  Enjoy it.  If you smile, think about the fact you’re smiling at the energy and light-hearted side of a bunch of people that in other conversations you run down for enforcing policies some political class elite put in place.

There are some pretty good eggs out there folks.  Remember that always.  Godspeed guys!