The video begins as Officer Darrell Ross pulls up to a traffic stop, assisting fellow Officer Snyder. “There’s not going to be any drugs in the car, is there?” Ross asks the driver. He says no, but the officers discover meth and drug paraphernalia in the jacket of his passenger (an older gentleman).

Claiming it’s not his jacket, the man implies that the drugs are from the driver’s sister, not him. The officers don’t believe him, so Ross asks the driver what’s going on.

The driver explains that the man—whose name is Doug—is a former Marine and a Vietnam veteran. Hearing this, Officer Ross decides to pull Doug aside for a heart-to-heart chat.

Doug explains that he’s in pain, has bone cancer, and has stage four lung cancer. Making a judgment call, Ross decides to let Doug go instead of arresting him, but he wants to talk to him anyway.

“I can’t tell you how much I want you to stop doing those drugs, man.” He tells the man that he doesn’t need meth; he still has history and stories to share with the world. Doug explains that he needs pain management, and—surprisingly—Officer Ross recommends that he try medical marijuana.

After a bit more chatting, Officer Snyder gives Doug a ride. Now alone with the cameraman, Officer Ross explains why he became a cop while struggling to hold back tears. His brother was also a veteran and returned from the service with a drug addiction. Seeing his brother like that inspired Ross to become an officer.

These days, it’s very common to see videos of officers doing a poor job of public outreach and service. However, this video has given us hope: there are still officers like Darrell Ross that truly live up to the motto of “to protect and serve.”