Always wanted to be a L.E.O. I looked up to our town Deputy he was strick but fair. He gave me a few breaks and I respected him all the time. It took a few years but I finally got into the career that I love.  

  Old School. Ofc. Pete Maloy and Ofc. Jim Reed, Adam 12.. Watched the show as a kid and new when I was 5 that I wanted to be a police Officer. Lived the dream for 17 years.. Wouldn't change it for the world..

ShockUSMC87 says ...

This is job is nothing like what u see on Cops.....every now and then it is, but not nearly as often as they make it out to be.

WHAT!?!!?!?!?! You mean I have to do paperwork and spend hours doing reports. I may have to pick up dead animals out of the road? I may have to endure the smell of a junkie who's bowels released when they OD'd while EMS tries to keep em alive? You mean to tell me, that eventhough I know the guy I just pulled over was arrested for drugs 5 times before, That I might not find dope on him this time? Is that what you're saying to me? LOL

One Adam 12 - Reed & Malloy.  Although the show was nothing compared to what really took place on the streets of L.A.    Watching Emergency in the early 70's, I always wanted to be a LA County Firefighter/Paramedic.   But, I as I grew up, I was leaning more towards Police work, following in my fathers footsteps.  I started early as an Explorer Scout with the Police Department, working in the radio room, court and special events.  It just spiraled from there.

LE was my childhood dream.  I was about seven years old living in the city at that time.  A block or so down from our house, there was a multi vehicle accident.  So me and my little brother ran down there being nosey. It was a bad crash with several people injured some bleeding badly, road blocked.  A police car came up high speed, red lights flashing (back then), siren screaming.  This guy gets out of the patrol car, he's in uniform, wearing a gun belt and gun, with all this other gear on.  He immediately took charge.  What he said was, "Tha-Word!" and the people there, victims, EMS, Fire Dept. listened to him.  To this day, I remember how he impressed me with his command presence that day.  He, for lack of a better way to describe it, ran the show!  Seemed that everybody there followed his lead.  It was at that time I first remember saying to myself, "I want to be a cop".  I caught hell sometimes from friends later in life when I repeated that statement, mostly in high school.  But I was one of the lucky ones I think.  I actually did experience my life's dream and I can't put into words what that means to me personally.  Like my career in LE, I'll always remember that day when I realized what I wanted to do when I grew up and that cops, (and I've said this many times) are special people.  Not everybody or anybody can do the kind of work LE requires and thank-god for that!  That's what makes all LE types special people in my minds eye.      

My cousin John.

He was with the Philadelphia PD now retired.

Always looked up to him and I got the LE bug but in a slightly diffent manner...........he wasn't K9.

Dad and as an instructor I get the keys to the ammo and gun lockers  

 any time a cop car drove down our street when I was a child i was so impressed at how much they knew  about what was going on in the neighborhood  , I just knew I was going to be a cop some day and of course Adam 12 was a big influence too

I've always wanted to be involved in LE but never had the drive to pursue it until my former boss at my old job pissed me off one day to the point of no return and that started a chain reaction. I currently work at the County Jail and will be completing my AS in CJ next summer so I guess you can say he "inspired" me?!?!?!

In my youth I would have this recurring dream of John and Ponch in a high speed chase trying to get Cheech and Chong..............inspiring.

My D.A.R.E officer when I was in grade school. I looked up to him, Officer Diego. I would always run into him after that. He would always tell me, keep your nose clean, and stay in the books.. DONT "F" UP!! itll come back to haunt you later.. I tool his advice, and stuck with it. Years later here I am, and now I want to get in touch with him to thank him.

My lolo was a police officer in the Phillipines, and my uncles followed in his footsteps. Here I am in TX doing the same.

BSL1123 says ...

ajsdaddyCCSO says ...

In my youth I would have this recurring dream of John and Ponch in a high speed chase trying to get Cheech and Chong..............inspiring.

Which part? The skin tight polyester pants, of the knee high Man-hooker boots? LOL

I have to admit those Man-hooker boots were hot!!!

When I think back and I mean way back 3 people stand out  Sgt John K. Barnes Newark Police Dept. Captain Ted Wahlers Essex County Police Dept and LT Lenny Depoe Montclair Police Dept. What make it straqnge is way back the when I was 13-16 yrs old they knew what I would end up doing. They never hinted or pushed me to be a cop they just waited till I found my way. And now that I'm here the pay sucks the hours bite but I would'nt trade it for anything else in the world.