Pinecrest Police Department
1 Who has had the biggest impact on your life? My two children. Once I had my kids, it changed my outlook on life—how I see things and how I focus on my career. I want to make sure that I do the best that I can so I can provide for them the best that I can.
2 How did your career as a police officer get its start? I actually went to medical school for four years. Then, I joined the Air Force and they gave me the option to join the military police. I liked checking the base and protecting people, so I started to realize it was what I wanted to do. I wanted to continue protecting people and serving the community and doing what I could to help people out.
3 Tell us about your career with the Pinecrest Police Department. I started on April 17, 2003. I was originally assigned to road patrol. From there, I went to the detective bureau and was there for about three years. After that, an opportunity arose to become a temporary sergeant. I tested a couple years after that to get the position permanently, and I’ve been a sergeant ever since. I’ve been on patrol most of my career with the exception of the stint I did with the detective bureau.
Right now, I’m not only on road patrol but I’m also in charge of training. I handle liability training, defensive tactics, firearm training and CPR training. I also do Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) for active shooters.
4 Recently, you were featured on WSVN 7 and Univision 23 for saving a hit-and-run victim—the fourth life you’ve saved while on the force. To what do you credit this? Luck, fate or something else?
I think a lot of luck plays into it. Most of the time, to be able to save a life, you have to be there very quickly. Minutes and seconds count; the more time passes, the less opportunity there is for you to be able to save a person’s life.
I think a lot of training plays into it, too. I am fortunate to be certified as a CPR instructor, so that helps me make quick decisions because I know what I’m supposed to do, and I recognize symptoms in the person whose life I’m trying to save.
I think the military plays a lot into it as well. It taught me how to be calmer in those situations. Instead of reacting irrationally, I think more clearly because I’m calm and not freaking out.
5 What does a perfect day look like to you? A day where I know I’ve made a difference, whether I was fortunate enough to catch a “bad guy,” I was able to save someone’s life, or I was able to help one of my officers out. As far as being [outside] of work, the perfect day would be anytime I get to spend with my girl and my kids, going to a sporting event, like a football game or a baseball game, and just relaxing and forgetting about the things I’ve had to do at work.
6 Tell us something no one knows about you. I am terrified of snakes. If somebody gets bitten by a snake, we are going to have some problems.
7 What’s the best thing about working in Pinecrest? The people I work with. I have a lot of good friends here, a lot of people I’ve become very close to, and it’s a nice working environment. It’s a place where I have friends, so it makes for less stressful days.
