Everyone Needs to See the Video on Police That Mike Rowe Shared
While some attack the thin line that protects all Americans, Mike Rowe has consistently come to the defense of America’s embattled police officers.
In September 2015, Rowe posted to his Facebook page a tribute to police officers written by Paul Harvey and first posted on YouTube in 2013.
“What is a policeman made of?” wrote Harvey, the former radio journalist whose father was a police officer killed when Harvey was only 3. “He, of all men, is once the most needed and the most unwanted. He’s a strangely nameless creature who is ‘sir’ to his face and ‘fuzz’ to his back.”
“If you’ve seen this before, I suspect it’s been on your mind. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it,” wrote Rowe, former host of CNN’s “Somebody’s Gotta Do It” and the Discovery Channel series “Dirty Jobs.”
The post was a hit with Facebook readers.
“As a police officer I wanted to thank you for posting this. This narration is one of my favorites because it couldn’t be more true,” wrote Joseph Green. “I don’t know when exactly, or why for that matter, police have become demonized. It is very disheartening that the profession I chose because I felt it was very honorable has become a hot button issue and the impetus for moral strife.
“You wield tremendous power and influence over the public, whether you recognize it or not, and I wanted to let you know that I’m glad you brought this to the masses.”
Others were more succinct.
“Thanks to all the police officers that keep our streets safe and catch the bad guys,” wrote Amber Hopek.
”Thanks for reminding people that police are human beings who attempt to do super human things daily,” said Chandler Thomas.
Harvey’s tribute reflects the reality that in all times, police officers face the scrutiny of the public.
“Gulled statistics wave the fan over the stinkers, underscore instances of dishonesty and brutality because they are ‘new.’ What they really mean is that they are exceptional, unusual, not commonplace,” Harvey wrote.
“Buried under the frost is the fact: Less than one-half of one percent of policemen misfit the uniform. That’s a better average than you’d find among clergy!”
Harvey then goes on to note the ways in which a police officer is expected to perform opposite tasks at the same time and is never given any credit when things go right, and only blame when they go wrong.
“The policeman must be a minister, a social worker, a diplomat, a tough guy and a gentleman,” Harvey concludes. “And, of course, he’d have to be genius. … For he will have to feed a family on a policeman’s salary.”
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