LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - He's known for his passion on issues pertinent to North Little Rock, but it's North Little Rock Officer Tommy Norman's latest project that's got his superiors asking questions.
Officer Norman appeared in a political ad endorsing State Representative Tracy Steele for mayor. The North Little Rock Fraternal Order of Police also endorsed Steele, and Norman says it's that add that sparked an internal investigation.
Scott Miller is on the North Little Rock School board, but says he doesn't represent the board on this issue, rather he's behind Officer Norman as a citizen. Miller set up a Facebook page titled 'save Tommy Norman.'
North Little Rock Police Chief Danny Bradley called the incident a simple inquiry of Officer Norman blown out of proportion.
"I think this is a case where a little misinformation went viral," he said.
Chief Bradley said departmental policy was violated when the title in the ad identified Officer Norman as a North Little Rock police officer.
"The department policy prohibits officers or employees from making public endorsement for products - candidates in the name of the police department," he explained.
The chief said employees are free to have opinions and express them as citizens, and he said the ad would have been in compliance were it not for the name title that accompanied his opinion, and adds that a meeting with Officer Norman Wednesday cleared up the confusion.
"It was done without officer Norman's permission," he concluded.
Although Chief Bradley works at the will of the current mayor who supports Steele's opponent, Joe Smith, he maintained this has nothing to do with the internal investigation into Officer Norman.