Police officer who also does public speaking authors book on leading with love
From law enforcement to leaving a legacy. Ryan Tillman has gone from being a Southern California police officer to a national messenger on communication and coming together.
As a young officer in Chino, he got noticed for his dance moves in uniform. He was a hit when he was a school resource officer at Don Lugo High School.
Tillman also got noticed for a program he created called Breaking Barriers United, designed to "bridge the gap between Law Enforcement and the community." In 2019, FOX 11's Gina Silva first told Tillman's story, reporting "he's a charming police officer very good at connecting with the community he's serving."
Along with a podcast, he turned it into a national speaking platform. His message is targeted at communication, whether it be law enforcement or in the corporate world.
"I'm here to go back to the basics, and the basics are simple. Lead with love, lead with empathy, lead with respect," he said.
Tillman is a married father of three and the author of the book "Happy Eyes, All Things To All People." He credits his wife who named him "happy eyes" when they were dating. The book has been endorsed by Michael Strahan of Good Morning America and Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys.
This spring, Tillman returned to his policing roots. He was a keynote speaker for LAWPOA, Los Angeles Women Police Officers and Associates. Part of his act is getting others up doing dance moves. Tillman is still a Chino police officer, but part-time now.
Tillman can also be found on his podcast where he tackles police matters and is not afraid to call out cops he feels were in the wrong.
As for happy eyes, he says it means seeing the best in all people, even while making an arrest.
Hollywood, you might say, also came calling. He's a co-host on a panel on the reality series on policing "On Patrol: Live".