QUOTES
04:39 "For us, we literally were just trying to say how can we be a positive voice communicating some truth about the fact that the people that wear a badge and do this job are human. They're people not to be objectified."
06:15 "Cops were feeling encouraged at being able to laugh at one of their own. They can identify with what I was saying or portraying and then it was also being communicated to non-cops in a way that could disarm them a little bit."
13:31 "You want to pitch that cops that are bad, cops are untrained, cops are whatever. When you want to beat that drum when it's not true, eventually it becomes true and they will get the kind of cops that they are proclaiming exists."
15:10 "It's not the cops making the decisions. It's not the chiefs of police making the decisions. It's those that they are electing into office that are making these decisions and the decisions are driven purely by whatever they feel will retain their power."
19:47 "We've been doing the same thing that the American public, in general, has been doing which is basically, as long as I have an iPhone on one hand and my coffee in the othe and I'm getting it the way I want it, when I want it, the rest doesn't really matter."
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SUMMARY
In this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sgt. Betsy Smith interviews Mike The Cop, an original founder of Humanizing the Badge who works to inspire police officers from across the country. Mike talks about the origins of his organization and how humor is a great way to inspire connections. However, Mike also comments on the self-fulfilling prophecy that cops are bad and how defunding the police only serves to fuel the heavy politicization of law enforcement.
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HIGHLIGHTS
01:11 Mike the Cop's origins and starting Humanizing the Badge
05:25 Using humor to connect with cops and non-cops alike
10:56 Losing officers to the negativity against law enforcement
14:14 Policing has become politicized by people in power
17:42 Becoming political: Trading ethics for comforts
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RESOURCES