CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police officers across the country know they face an uphill battle with public perception these days.
That’s why two area police officers are getting creative to try to help people get to know them. They're talking off the cuff in a monthly podcast in hopes of helping people see beyond the badge.
You probably wouldn’t expect two police officers to host a podcast, and you definitely wouldn't expect the name.
Jason Peetz and Chad Webster host a monthly podcast called Please Pass the Bacon.
The idea?
Peetz says simply,"humanizing police officers."
Both were in Charlotte when riots broke out after the Keith Scott police officer involved shooting – they’ve watched perceptions of police change here and across the country over the last few years.
"When I first got on I was proud my family was proud it felt good to put badge on, felt I was getting bad guys and keeping streets safer," Webster remembered. "Overtime it slowly turned."
Now, they say they have work to do to gain trust in the community they serve.
"If all we get coverage on is when something goes bad than were behind the eight ball," Peetz said. "So we're trying to invest a little in the community and say, these police officers .. they’re dads, business owners."
They have fun with the podcast – they record in Peetz's living room.
"We wanted to put something out there that was lighthearted and good," Webster said.
They also wanted to tackle important relevant stories of the day. The two said they hope someone on the fence will give it a listen and decide to give cops a chance.
They’re hoping to have community guests on a regular basis.
They videotape each podcast and have a YouTube channel, as well as podcast episodes wherever you typically listen to podcasts -- just look for “Please Pass the Bacon.”
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