ABSTRACT
I d id n ’t k n o w w h at I w anted to be w h en I w as a kid. I had th e n o tio n o f g e t
tin g in to m ed ic in e o r possibly being a fire fig h ter; I nev er th o u g h t o f law
en fo rce m e n t. I g o t in to law e n fo rc e m e n t as th e re su lt o f hav in g been laid o ff
from a job . I n eeded a new jo b rea lly fast so I w en t to w o rk fo r Sears in th e ir
secu rity d e p a rtm e n t as a p la in c lo th es officer. I was so good a t ca tch in g
sh o p lifters th a t sh e riffs d ep uties w ere c o n sta n tly en co u ra g in g m e to g et in to
law e n fo rce m e n t. O n e officer ev en p u lled o u t his p ay ch eck and said, “D o you
m a k e th is m u c h in tw o m o n th s?” I lo o ked at it and w en t, “N o. I d o n ’t even
m a k e th a t in six m o n th s .” So , I applied and was accep ted in to th e sh e riffs acad
em y. I was tw e n ty -fo u r o r tw en ty-fiv e.
