Being an LEO... it's a family tradition

Okay, for a lot of us, law enforcement wasn't a career we just picked one day out of the blue. Some of us grew up watching a family member (Father, Mother, Uncle, etc.) strap on that duty belt and badge every day, and come home with stories straight out of the movies. I grew up with a long list of family in L.E. I thought it would be cool to have a spot to share those kinds of stories.

When I was growing up I thought my Dad was the baddest guy around. He was a Deputy back home in Central California. I watched him get ready for work and thought he always had the coolest job on the planet, mainly becaus he got to carry a gun. He always had stories that I loved to hear too. It wasn't until I was about 10 or so that I realized how GOOD he was at his job. Every one of his friends from work looked up to him like a god. They would always tell me, "your Dad's forgotten more shit than any of these new guys will ever know." Hearing things like that made me want to get in there and be as good as him, or better. It took some time but I got in with my department in Wyoming after I left California. I always wanted to live that "glamorous" lifestyle. Looking back I rethink all those stories and I see one thing... that shit's not glamorous AT ALL when you live it! But none the less, I'm proud to carry on the family tradition in law enforcement. I now have 2 daughters (I know... I'm F***ed) and I have only one hope for them... that they hate my stories and think this uniform looks stupid! Hopefully this didn't sound as sappy as I think it did.

It's great that you looked up to your dad so much that you wanted to follow in his footsteps! He must be very proud of you. :)

I can relate to this; from both sides.

I grew up worshiping my dad & what he did. When I was about 6, he would let me call him 10-8 on the radio from his lunch break. I got to help him polish his brass (back then it was badge, buckles & shirt buttons). I remember waking up 1 night & he was grabbing my M1 carbine & his Winchester mdl 94 from the gun rack (yeah we used to just hang em up on the wall); they were going into a mesquite pasture after an armed robbery suspect.

Then, I knew my youngest had the bug by the time he was 5 years old. I've got an old spiral notebook that he wrote his "reports" in. And now I get to work with him about 1 a month! That is just super-cool. Even when 1 of us is off we call/text at least once a shift. Last week I got 1 saying "We have a kickass job" after he was #2 of a 4 man entry team going in on an armed subject threatening himself & his kids.

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Originally Posted by Broke Hoss

Even when 1 of us is off we call/text at least once a shift. .

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That's awesome! What a long line of sheepdogs! It sounds like you have great relationships with both your dad and your son. :baby: :grouphug:

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Originally Posted by Jenna

That's awesome! What a long line of sheepdogs! It sounds like you have great relationships with both your dad and your son. :baby: :grouphug:

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Yes, I'm quite blessed. Unfortunately, my dad passed away before he was born. But he's heard enough tall tales from me, & others, that he even tells them from time to time.

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Originally Posted by Broke Hoss

Yes, I'm quite blessed. Unfortunately, my dad passed away before he was born. But he's heard enough tall tales from me, & others, that he even tells them from time to time.

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Your dad probably chuckles in heaven every time, especially if the tales get taller with each generation of retelling. :angel: :hug:

It's a love hate relationship most of the time but this is indeed one bad ass job.

I'm the only one in my family. I guess you could call me the "white-sheep" of the family!

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Originally Posted by keith720

I'm the only one in my family. I guess you could call me the "white-sheep" of the family!

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Or sheepdog, as the case may be.... ;)

http://static.flickr.com/91/228632447_043a832eae.jpg

My father has been in Law Enforcement since before I was born, and is still on the job. My mother was one of, if not the first female Deputy to work in my County. She worked for the S.O. until after I was born.

My father recently left his position as a Detective with our agency and took a position as the Chief of Adult Probation for our county. He still carries a commission through my Department.

I can say 100% that I would not be a cop if my dad wasn't. I too grew up on the war stories.

I also have a 5th (I think) great grandfather who was a Philadelphia officer. I have an old photograph of him, and my dad has a copy of his "pension" certificate upon his death. The pension that my 5th (I think) great grandmother got was $5 from every member of the Philadelphia police officers association. That was in 1902. The picture is from the mid 1890's and he's wearing the old "London bobby" overcoat and helmet.

I was the first in my family to serve in the military and the first to serve my city as a police officer.

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Originally Posted by Pudge

My father has been in Law Enforcement since before I was born, and is still on the job. My mother was one of, if not the first female Deputy to work in my County. She worked for the S.O. until after I was born.

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So you're a purebred sheepdog! :hail:

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Originally Posted by ChesCopPodz

The picture is from the mid 1890's and he's wearing the old "London bobby" overcoat and helmet.

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You're descended from Trojan and Motorwaycop! :thumb:

My dad was a County Patrolman (traffic unit for the county), the Superintendent for the County Penal Farm, and a State Police Officer responsible for law enforcement on and around a large reservoir. I used to ride with him during the summer and he would even wake me up occasionally at night to go to a wreck with him when he got called out. We lived on the grounds at the Farm and I used to go with him with crews when they went out for cleanup at tornadoes, floods, etc. I never thought of doing anything other than being a police officer from about age 15 or so. When I became an officer I was a volunteer firefighter and I had the opportunity to go fire or police. Dad tried to convince me to go fire LOL. He had retired at age 42 from the Jackson FD before going into LE.

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Originally Posted by Cidp24

Dad tried to convince me to go fire LOL.

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:eek: :flame: :D

Only one in my family was my maternal grandfather,who I never met as he died shortly after I was born.He was a NOPD detective in the 20s working the New Orleans waterfront,how bad ass that must have been.Grew up listening to mom tell stories of him,dad never did,I think he was scared of the man even after he died.:bitenails::biggrin1:

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Originally Posted by mavriktu

Only one in my family was my maternal grandfather,who I never met as he died shortly after I was born.He was a NOPD detective in the 20s working the New Orleans waterfront,how bad ass that must have been.Grew up listening to mom tell stories of him,dad never did,I think he was scared of the man even after he died.http://apbweb.com/forums/images/smilies/k0j3m9.gifhttp://apbweb.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin1.gif

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Sounds like a good basis for a TV show. ;)

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Originally Posted by keith720

I'm the only one in my family. I guess you could call me the "white-sheep" of the family!

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same

He wasn't ever a full time officer but my grandfather (I did not have the honor of knowing him) was a Special Commissioned Officer with NOPD. Mostly security related work. I held a commission with them as well.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...ficercard2.jpg

Sometimes I wish I had been born when my dad was a cop, but since he was a reserve and trying to feed his family, he had left for greener pastures by the time I came along. I still have his stories, duty weapons, badge and ID cards, though.