Emily Nipps: When the Tampa Police Department needs a touch of compassion, someone who can roll into any situation and defuse it with a calm, tolerant demeanor, they know just the guy.
He’s like a superhero of sorts, a man of many powers. His specialty is children, especially those who have been abused, as he has a knack for dealing with them, literally, eye to eye. His mere presence can calm a thrashing, fighting criminal. Thugs just don’t feel like taking a punch when they see him.
His supervisor says he’s great for crawling through small windows or tossing on roofs or over fences. He can do it all, it seems … except maybe put you in a standing headlock. Or dunk a basketball.
Go ahead and make a wisecrack. Officer Mike Ruiz, not quite 4 feet 11, has pretty much heard it all.
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