CANTON, Ohio — It’s hard not to smile when you’re around him. In fact, it's not unusual to find a group of kids running up to greet Canton Police Officer LaMar Sharpe.
"Sometimes you have to put yourself in their world," said Sharpe. "I think that's where they're like 'okay, this guy is kind of cool.'"
Sharpe is known for captivating the attention of young students through dance, music, and sharing kindness. With more than 92,000 followers on Facebook, his actions in the community reflect his mission to make a positive change.
"With me, growing up in Akron, honestly, I was afraid of the police. The one thing I wanted them to do, they didn’t do," said Sharpe.
Sharpe said the decision to become a police officer was centered on becoming the change he wanted to see.
"When I took this job, I wanted to be the change. I wanted to do the things that I wanted to see when I was a youth from police officers."
He’s been a police officer for about 20 years. And in that time, he’s been focused on building relationships. Relationships that build trust, compassion, and a positive change.
"A lot of times, they don’t look at the person behind the badge."
Over the past year, from the pandemic to protests focused on racial injustice and police brutality, Sharpe realized his goal to help kids in the community was more meaningful than ever.
"I didn’t take this job to prove how tough I was. I had football for that," said Sharpe. "For me, it’s about compassion."
Sharpe’s mission to make a difference doesn’t end when he takes off his badge. It’s full-time. He launched the “Be a Better Me” foundation to mentor kids, helping them succeed in the classroom – and in life.
Sharpe's work doesn’t go unnoticed. You can see it in the way kids run up to him to say hello – and even in the artwork of students.
"My buddy Mike Brown from the Canton [YMCA] sent me a text and said man I got to show you something."
In honor of Black History Month, students were asked to choose someone who inspired them and create a poster. A 6-year-old girl chose Officer Sharpe.
"I looked at it and it just made me cry an ugly cry."
And recently, Sharpe received a “thank you” note from a 5th grader.
"[The student] was going through some things and thinking about hurting himself," said Sharpe. "And I actually went to go visit him and I explained to him how his life is important and that he has to find motivation in the pain he’s experienced. And the note is absolutely priceless."
It was words of hope and gratitude that brought Sharpe to tears…
"People don’t realize the struggles of our youth today. And with this pandemic, it makes it worse. And these kids are going through these things and they don’t have these outlets to deal with them. It changed my whole focus. I was already motivated, and it really motivated me more."
For Sharpe, the goal is to show how a little kindness -- and fun -- can go a long way.
"I let kids know how proud of them I am of them going to school every day, getting their high school diploma, doing the right things, getting a job. Whatever it is, I let them know I’m proud of them and I think that means a lot to these kids."
Editor's note: the video in the player below is from a story published on March 14, 2021.