Newport PD and public relations.

I was forwarded this email and thought I would share it. Great email by the way!
Dear law enforcement professional:
Yesterday evening, April 6, I saw a sight I had not seen for so long. It was absolutely heart stopping. It was about 8:20PM at the lot behind Holy Spirit's community hall (I guess it is) at 9th and Saratoga.
One of your police officers, cruiser parked in the basketball area, was engaged with a group of neighborhood youngsters. They all seemed to be having a great time. He seemed to be giving some basketball pointers. Your officer was obviously relaxed and interacting with these kids in a positive fun way. The kids seemed to be loving it and loving the attention of the big guy.
More than any lectures or words, that officer taught those kids so much more, I'm sure, than any basketball skill. One or more of those youngsters was left with real positive feelings for the police. That he is someone they can come to if ever in trouble, as we looked at police officers when I was growing up in Newport. Those kids probably learned more than your officer ever dreamt he was teaching them.
My God, I remember how we looked up to the police officers. They were our safety net between right and wrong, safety and fear or harm. Over the years so much of that has been lost. Our officers get so much disrespect piled on top of stress they face everyday. Wednesday evening that officer took a step toward regaining the respect and admiration from youngsters they deserve. The kids he was with are the ages that need to be reached to change this whole crazy attitude that has somehow developed toward our police officers.
I am a professional who lives in Newport. The last 15 years of my professional career has been working with chemically dependent persons. I have seen the damage done to these youngsters thru Alcohol and/or drug using parents, the glorification of alcohol and other drugs. Like many of your officers I have seen the damage done. Every adult who is committing crime, throwing their lives and futures into the gutter because of these drugs was once a child. Some are so far into the quicksand of AoD use it becomes near impossible, sometimes impossible to help them pull themselves out.
But your officer did so much more than he might ever know for those kids. As one citizen of Newport and as a professional, I ask you to please thank him for me (really, for all the people of Newport) for touching the lives of those kids.
I'm semi-retired now, but am a DUI group counselor a few evenings a week. And believe me that officer might not know immediately the good he has done - but he needs to know those moments were a lifetime gift to one or all of those kids. It's obvious to me this was not a first for him. He and they seemed to be relaxed with each other. It was just the first time I noticed it, and I pass there rather frequently as well as the high school as I go here or there and have never seen that before.
Though good times and bad I have always been a believer in our city. I was never prouder than seeing what I saw on Wednesday evening. I suppose the impact was even greater because I had just finished leading a DUI group.
Again, if you know who the officer was, please thank him on my behalf, and all the people of Newport for taking quality time for those kids and letting them know by example that the "cops" are the good guys.
And to all the officers, as a side, thank you for taking care of our safety. From my childhood forward thru today I believe in you - you are the good guys. Thanks to all of you.
Sincerely,
Jim