Portage County, OH – Small town Ohio police officer David Oliver has become an internet sensation. The Brimfield Police Chief created a department Facebook page so he could speak directly to local “mopes” and the community. Many police departments, both large and small, have a Facebook presence, but Chief Oliver’s John Wayne-esque style of dealing with law enforcement has garnered him fans from around the globe.
The Brimfield Police Department Facebook page has attracted comments from folks in 31 states and 19 different countries. During an interview published by Cleveland.com, Chief David Oliver noted that the police department Facebook page had 1,544,000 visits over the past weekend.
David Oliver had this to say in a recent “Brimfield Police Department” Facebook page post about a man who died at a local hotel unexpectedly:
“The scene when I arrived was heartbreaking yet comforting. Officer William Atha was sitting on the floor of a hallway, back against the wall, directly beside a very distraught widow. He had never met her before today, yet they were talking like they were family. Officer Atha was a 6? 4?, 290-pound teddy bear. Law enforcement is not just about tickets and arrests.”
Chief Oliver routinely deals with serious crimes, missing children, and missing puppies – and he opines about them all on the Brimfield Facebook page. In a recent post, he offered this advice to “mopes” planning on committing a crime in his Ohio town:
“When police arrive on scene and you and another person are on top of third person, beating him, it is not self-defense. Also, you seem to have my name confused. My first name is not ‘Mother’ and the last name you used . . . wrong, also.”
The Ohio police chief is a familiar face around the local elementary school; he high-fives the children when they walk through the doors each morning. Chief Oliver and his officers recently hosted Shop with a Cop and gave 128 children $100 to spend. He and his staff make hundreds of visits to senior citizens each month. The Brimfield Police Department also recently hosted a Fill-a-Cruiser event where local residents filled the police cars 20 times over with toys and food for those in need.
Brimfield Police Chief David Oliver and his staff are a reminder of the powerful influence local heroes have on our communities every day. If you happen to walk past a firefighter, law enforcement officer, or paramedic today, make sure to thank them for their service. They all do so much which is never seen or reported upon by the media.
