An Instagram-famous Arkansas police officer once embraced by the Black community is facing serious backlash following a recent incident. And it might change the way he’s been perceived forever.
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Tommy Norman, a 27-year officer who works for the North Little Rock Police Department, was taken into custody Saturday, Sept. 13, on a charge of third-degree domestic battery after his wife alleged, he “struck her on the right side of her chest with the back of his hand.” Officers describe seeing a slight injury on his wife’s right chest. Norman told police he was attempting to block her from hitting him following an altercation.
He reportedly paid a $350 bond to get out of Pulaski County Jail Monday morning.
Norman built an Instagram following of nearly two million with community-focused content, much of it featuring young Black adolescents in North Little Rock. He’s been beloved for his charismatic attitude mixed with that southern twang that make children comfortable.
However, while Norman was a positive figure on social media, his arrest is a reminder that you never truly know what’s going on in the real lives of influencers.
His arrest has sparked widespread disappointment among Black social media users who had grown to support him. Others say they had long suspected something was off about Norman.
“They’ve been married for twelve years, we don’t know what goes on in their marriage,” TikToker @shitnotsweettpodcast said. “Y’all be thinking because people are a pillar of the community that these people live righteously when they don’t. Then y’all got to understand every black woman is not a mad black woman. Let’s just clear it up.”
“At the same time nobody is an angel. It’s all about representation. So, when you represent yourself a certain way, of course, that’s what people going to think you are,” the TikToker concluded.
“I always told myself, if any bad stuff comes out about Officer Norman, then my trust in people is gone! Because what do you mean Officer Norman?
So now there’s a bunch of people online exposing him. And I’m reading the stuff and watching the videos, and I’m like, where was all of this? What is all of this,” asked TikToker @denafelix25?
Even with the accusations, Norman has still received a good amount of support in his defense, causing some social media users to question why Norman appears to be receiving the benefit of the doubt — especially from Black women,
“If a black man had did what they say he did as a police officer, y’all would have been bashing us, making fun of us, making memes out of us. Y’all would have been doing all of that. But for some reason, man, y’all ready to crash out. Ready to put that fire on somebody by officer Norman,” TikToker @nenokadafi said.
Norman has been placed on administrative leave “pending the outcome of the judicial process and internal investigation.” He will have a plea and arraignment hearing in early October.
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