Officer Darrell Ross pulls up to a traffic stop to help Officer Snyder, and the video begins. “Isn’t there going to be any drugs in the car?” Ross approaches the driver and inquires. He denies it, but officers find meth and drug paraphernalia in the jacket of his passenger (an elderly guy).

The man insists it’s not his jacket and claims the narcotics came from the driver’s sister, not him. Because the officers don’t trust him, Ross asks the driver what’s going on.

According to the driver, the man, whose name is Doug, is a former Marine and Vietnam veteran. After hearing this, Officer Ross decides to pull Doug aside for a private talk.

Doug describes his pain, bone cancer, and stage four lung cancer. Ross makes a decision to let Doug go rather than arrest him, but he still wants to talk to him.

“I can’t tell you how badly I want you to quit doing drugs, man.” He tells the man he doesn’t need meth because he still has history and stories to tell the world. Doug explains that he needs pain relief, and Officer Ross, to his surprise, suggests that he try medical marijuana.

After some more chit-chat, Officer Snyder offers Doug a ride. Officer Ross, now alone with the videographer, fights back tears as he recounts why he became a cop. His brother was a veteran who developed a drug problem after leaving the military. After watching his brother’s behavior, Ross was inspired to become an officer.

Videos of officers performing terrible public outreach and service are all too typical these days. However, this film has given us hope: there are still officers like Darrell Ross who actually live up to the credo “to protect and serve.”