Dad's a sheriff??

My boyfriend's dad is a really cool guy. He was a huge Beatle's fan,He moved to the US from England when he was 18, worked hard and made a name for himself.
In general he's a great guy. He's a funny, sweet little british man who's content with rading the newspaper, drinking his tea, and reading the newspaper with a dog curled at his feet in front of the TV. He's sweet and funny and very intelligent.
Sad thing is though, as he's aged he's become quite conservative. He's been a sheriff for some time now, and its has noticably changed him; given him kind of a sad arrogance and cockiness.
Before I met him, I strongly disliked cops or anything of the sort. But I think of this guy like my father-in-law!
I ask, how best should I deal with him? I don't agree with his views, he seems to get uncomfortable whenever I talk about The Beatles (he was once a huge fan), peace, the hippy movement (Which he was at one time very much apart of), etc. I can hardly relate to him sometimes; yet literally when he takes off the uniform, he's back to his old self.
Opinions?

 

ask him how stupid it is that being a peace officer puts him at odds with the peace movement?

 

I'm not about to be rude to him; he honestly believes in his heart that what he's doing is right...

 

how about then, being that he's a peace officer and you're in the peace movement puts you on the same team?

 

we both want to help the world, but both have completely different ways about it.

 

is there really any helping the world unless the world learns to help itself?

peace will find the world when the world finds peace

peace is not an enforcing but an awakening