My story and path to law enforcement is somewhat different from others. I am a 50-year-old Japanese American who was born in, grew up in, and now patrols the streets of Troutdale, Oregon. I am not like those who dreamed as a child of becoming a police officer.
I graduated from college with a degree in finance. I worked in finance for more than four years when I decided a suit, tie, and office were not for me. For the next 16 years I worked for Fed-Ex.
In December of 2000, Portland Police started an advertising campaign to recruit police officers. Until I heard these ads, I had never considered being a police officer. At that point, my wife and I had two kids, 10 and 12 years old, and I was 43. I had been actively involved in coaching their soccer teams. From this experience, I gained an appreciation for working with the community. I started to think that it might be cool to be a cop, so I started applying.
I was hired by Troutdale Police Department as a reserve police officer and entered the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office reserve academy on September 14, 2001. Needless to say, starting my journey into law enforcement three days after 9/11, I knew it was the right thing to do. On February 10, 2003, I was promoted to regular full-time officer status and have been patrolling the streets of the city I grew up in ever since. Along with my patrol duties, I enjoy being a field training officer (FTO) and a physical abilities evaluator for new recruits. It’s hard for me to imagine what I would have missed if I had never become a police officer.
Learn more about Troutdale Police Department at: https://www.mcso.us/site/