Deon Joseph: reaching out on Skid Row
Officer Deon Joseph
Rick's got a good piece on Senior Lead Officer Deon Joseph, who walks the beat on Skid Row. While the cops and the city have tried to clean up this grim swath of downtown, it's still another world to most of us. Officer Joseph, however, thinks it's still worth defending. His dedication to the area has not gone unnoticed.
LAPD Officer Deon Joseph strides the streets of downtown's Skid Row, alternating between his role as friend and enforcer - offering temporary housing tips to those seeking help and pouring out the cheap booze of those who refuse it.
I "treat them like royalty, even if I'm putting them in handcuffs," the 34-year-old Joseph said. "What I do will affect other African-Americans in this department as well as other officers, so I really do try to walk on water."
Joseph's efforts to be an upstanding cop while reaching out to the downtrodden recently garnered him an honorable-mention award from Parade magazine and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
The 12-year veteran and married father of three was one of only 14 officers honored nationwide at the annual ceremony.
Read the whole thing here.
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