Denzel Washington made his support for America’s police officers and soldiers crystal clear by giving his unabashed opinion of those people who “put down” our country’s heroes.
Denzel Washington doesn’t see eye to eye with most in the “Hollywood crowd,” who have been quick to side with movements like Black Lives Matter and “Defund the Police.” In fact, the Oscar-winning actor was most adamant about “people” who degrade police officers and soldiers.
“I have the utmost respect for what they do, for what our soldiers do, [people] that sacrifice their lives. I just don’t care for people who put those kind of people down. If it weren’t for them, we would not have the freedom to complain about what they do,” Denzel told Yahoo Entertainment.
The actor was proud to have portrayed law enforcement in over a dozen movies, including a film titled The Little Things. He portrays a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detective with a checkered past, who finds a chance at redemption. Denzel went on to explain that his respect for law enforcement was also shaped from first-hand knowledge after an incident he witnessed during a ride-along in 1991 while researching a role for the film Ricochet.
“I went out on a call with a sergeant. We got a call of a man outside his house with a rifle that was distraught,” Denzel told Yahoo. “We pulled up and did a U-turn past the house and came up short of the house. He told me to sit in the car, which I was gonna do. I wasn’t getting out. He got out. As he got out, another car came screaming up, and two young people jumped out screaming. As it turned out, it was their grandfather. This policeman defused the entire situation by just remaining calm.”
“The officer was able to defuse the situation without resorting to any violence,” Denzel said. “But it showed me in an instant how they can lose their life,” he added. “He didn’t overreact. He could’ve pulled his gun out and shot the people that came up driving real fast. He could’ve shot the old man that was distraught and a bit confused; I think he was suffering a little bit from dementia. But in an instant, it taught me, and I never forgot it, what our law enforcement people have to deal with moment to moment, second to second.”
The veteran Hollywood star also earned praise in his private life after being captured on video in what appeared to be an effort to help a homeless man during an encounter with police in Los Angeles. Various videos were posted online showing Denzel appearing to mediate a tense situation between an African-American homeless man and two police officers.
One video that surfaced on social media appeared to show one of the Los Angeles police officers explaining what happened. “Denzel drove by, saw the individual in the road, and was worried about his safety,” the officer said. The actor “pulled over, got the individual out of the road and police officers were called by another person that was driving by and saw Denzel. We intervened, spoke with the individual, and determined that he did not want to harm himself or others, and he was on his way.”
One LAPD officer publicly thanked Denzel, calling him a good Samaritan, and even gave the homeless man a mask for protection. “So Denzel helped us today,” the officer said. Denzel, who has also portrayed a U.S. soldier several times during his stellar career, states he always looking to make a film about those heroes who “give the ultimate sacrifice.”
