CLEVELAND — Cleveland Police Officer Jamieson Ritter went the extra mile to connect with the Cleveland community that he protected and served.
“He loved the area,” said the officer's dad, Jon Ritter.
He wanted to make a difference.
“He said those words to me; I want to go out mom, and I want to do a job that I can make a difference in People’s lives,” said the officer's mom, Karen Ritter.
And in his young life and short police career, he did make a difference.
“It was heart wrenching; we lost a good one. He was one of the good guys,” said Mark Jones.
Jones watched as the 27-year-old police officer spent time with his two children. Officer Ritter was on routine patrol when he spotted the Jones family outside. He stopped and let Mark Jones II and his big sister hop behind the wheel of his police car.
“It stops the fear of police officers that most young black males see police officers and get afraid. When they start introducing themselves, they’re people just like us but they have a job to do,” added Jones.
The video of the kids playing in the police car and laughing with Ritter was taken in May. Ritter was shot and killed in the line of duty two months later.
“We hear these stories of things that Jamieson did as a police officer and to be blunt if Jaimeson wasn’t murdered, we would have never heard any of this,” said his father.
When the boy and his classmates took part in the Lexington-Bell Early Learning Center Pre-School Recognition Day, the crowd of family and friends were Jamieson Ritter’s parents.
“If he were here today, he would be at this graduation,” said Jon Ritter. His parents stood in for their son.
“It has been a desire of mine to meet all of the people that we’ve seen videos and heard stories about that Jamieson touched. I’m obviously very proud of him and I want them to know he’s my son, so I wanted to meet them,” said Karen Ritter.
The Ritters met the boy and his family at the celebration. There were hugs, handshakes and a bond formed by tragedy.
The Ritters want people to know that the Cleveland Police Department has hundreds of police officers who, just like their son, come to work every day to protect, serve and make a difference in the community.
“Part of our reason for coming here is to say hey listen if the police come to your house and they do something good let somebody know,” said Jon Ritter.
Karen Ritter is on a mission to change how police officers are viewed by some.
“Cops are villainized, felons are victimized. We want the change to be cops are your friends. They’ve always been you friends, you call 911 because you need them to help you that’s exactly what they’re there to do,” said Karen Ritter.
For one little boy, and one young officer, mission accomplished.
“He was a nice guy,” the little boy said.e
Ritter was killed while trying to serve a warrant early on July Fourth. The man accused of killing him, DeLawnte Hardy, is also accused of killing his own grandmother. Hardy is in jail without bond awaiting his next court proceeding.
Jamieson Ritter's family and friends started a foundation to honor his legacy.
