Bret Barnum makes me proud of my roots in one of America’s most beautiful cities.

He’s a police officer for the Portland Police Bureau and he did something the other day that has been seen around he world. He hugged a boy.

http://www.oregonlive.com/multimedia/index.ssf/2014/12/portland_police_sgt_bret_barnu.html#incart_m-rpt-1

The boy was Devante Hart, 12 years of age. Devante was taking part in a peaceful protest in Portland in the wake of the grand jury’s decision against indicting former Ferguson (Mo.) policeman Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown. We all know the story by now.

Devante was carrying a sign advertising “Free Hugs.” Sgt. Barnum saw the youngster and the sign.

He shook the boy’s hand and asked him why he was crying. Devante said the protest saddened him.

With that, Barnum embraced Devante — with tears streaming down the boy’s face — and the image was snapped by a freelance photographer and flashed around the world.

Barnum has been a Portland police officer for two decades. He seems like an unassuming fellow. He works in the traffic division of the Portland Police Bureau.

“If it helps other people out, fantastic,” he said of the hug he gave Devante. “It just shows how great our city is.”

It also shows that human beings really can be kind to each other in the midst of strife and turmoil.

A simple embrace stands in stark and glaring contrast to the hideous rioting and looting that took place in Ferguson.

Well done, Sgt. Barnum — and young Devante Hart. You made this Portland native mighty proud.