As I was growing up, I had several thoughts about what I wanted to be when I grew up. I never settled on a career idea which allowed me to explore what I liked to do. I knew I did not need to be rich, but I wanted to take care of my family. While going to college, I met a girl whose father was a police officer. The way she spoke of him impressed me. I never met him but I realize that how she talked about him had a profound impact on my later decision to be a police officer. In addition, I had met several officers growing up. I noticed they commanded respect, set an example for the community, and exhibited integrity. Watching officers and how they handled themselves also impacted my career decision.
Before serving an LDS mission, I walked into the Utah Highway Patrol Office on the northeast corner of 800 North 1200 West in Orem. I spoke with the secretary about wanting to talk to an officer about becoming a trooper. Sgt. Moon was in the office and agreed to answer questions. I sat down with Sgt Moon and told him I was interested in becoming a trooper and asked him if he could tell me about the job and what I could do to prepare myself. Sgt. Moon then went on a rant about being a trooper! He told me that being a trooper was not a job you could do to get through college but it was a career. He then asked why anyone would want a career that entails dealing with the bad people, seeing horrific car accidents, and scraping brains of the interstate! Sgt. Moon painted the most bleak picture of being a trooper.
While on my LDS mission, I met people who worked in all different careers and spoke often with them about the good and bad of their careers. I served in Columbia, MO (home of the University of Missouri) and thought about returning there after my mission to pursue a medical career. After getting home from my mission, I still hadn’t decided what I would do. I had decided I wanted to do something that involved communicating with people and not sitting in a office all day. I enrolled in BYU and selected a major in Communications.
As luck would have it, I met my wife, Nicole. Nicole asked me why I was going to BYU and if I was firm in my major. I told her no and thought about being a police officer. Nicole suggested I save money by going to UVSC (now known as UVU) and complete my general courses at a cheaper price. I had already signed up for classes, bought books, and secured funding at BYU but I listened to Nicole and dropped out of BYU and enrolled in classes at UVSC.
What I didn’t know is Nicole had a good friend she had known growing up that was an officer. She had called him and asked him about what I needed to do to be an officer. After speaking to him, she called Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and secured me a spot in the next session. After telling me what she did, I dropped my classes at UVSC and saved money to attend POST. POST would be a full time job and with its schedule I could not work during the training. Because I was not “sponsored” by a department, I would not get paid during the training. I saved up money, paid my tuition, and bought the gear I would need for the training. In March 1992, I started my training and graduated in June 1992.
Because I had not secured a job before training, I looked for a job. I applied for every job opening I found in the state, and sent my resume to every agency in Utah County. Being from Pleasant Grove, I wanted a job there. I got a job as a reserve officer at Pleasant Grove PD, however it was volunteer and was not a paying job.
I received an invitation to take part in the hiring process for the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP). When I showed up for the initial testing for the UHP, I stood in a line with over 1000 people. Listening to them talk, I noticed several had experience as officers. My thought was I had little chance of getting a job. I made it through the initial testing with only 100 applicants remaining. There was 10 current openings with the Patrol so it was a long shot to get one of those positions.
After going through the process, UHP sent me a letter that said I was 11th on the list. The letter said they filled the 10 openings but they would consider me for other openings that may come in the next year. About a week later, I received a phone call from a secretary at UHP. She told me there had been changes and there was an opening for me if I would go to Fillmore. I did not understand where Fillmore was and so I asked her. She told me it was by Richfield. My cousin was from Richfield! I had spend a lot of time in Richfield and loved it there. I told her I needed to speak to Nicole but would call her back to confirm. After hanging up the phone, I told my co-workers about the call and asked if anyone had been to Fillmore, Utah. My boss got out a map and showed me. It was nowhere near Richfield!! Yes it was in the central part of the state but it was along I-15 and a large mountain separated Richfield from Fillmore! I called Nicole and we agreed I would take the job. I would now be a trooper!!
The process was challenging and competitive. I learned that putting my best foot forward and working hard helped me reach my career goal. After being hired by the Utah Highway Patrol and again meeting Sgt. Moon, I would laugh inside knowing what he told me. Now I would see if police work was what he described.
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