I am a police officer for the Corpus Christi Police Department. My responsibilities are to respond immediately to calls and conduct traffic enforcement in order to enhance public safety. This provides me the unique opportunity to respond to incidents when members of my community are in crisis and bring God’s love into the situation. This is an important ministry field, and God continues to mold my character in a manner that helps me witness to those who need to feel God’s love the most.
I feel called into public service because of certain stories in the Bible. In scripture, we see the fallen condition of humans. In life, we see this condition every day in the people around us and in ourselves. God encourages me daily to address our fallen condition by serving as a protector. I started off in the army, but after leaving the military, I still felt a compulsion to continue protecting our community and joined the police department.
It was necessary to pursue a formal education in order to advance in grade in the department. I chose to pursue a degree at Stark College & Seminary so that I not only could fulfill the credential, but I could also receive an education that was meaningful to me. This theological education has helped me grow in my faith and helped me live out my faith as a police officer.
The decisions I make every day as a police officer are deeply influenced by my faith. Because of my relationship with God, I have greater patience with others and can look at complex situations with an open and loving mind. Rather than jumping to conclusions, I now better understand the human condition and can see the many factors that come into play during tough situations.
This comes in the form of grace, and most importantly, the belief that God is in control. I have often grown frustrated when I feel like I am the only person who abides by the rules and takes responsibility. When these thoughts come into my mind, God usually provides experiences where unlikely character types respond and behave to situations in very positive ways showing me that everyone is capable of doing good and living in the image of God.
Overall, I am grateful for a job that allows me to serve people in need, meet members from all parts of our community, and live out my faith in a tangible way. God called me to be a protector, and I am honored to do that every day for the people of Corpus Christi.