Nick Ford

So in the interim, I got into technology and started working kind of like entry-level IT jobs, kind of biding my time until I finally got the postcard in the mail inviting me to interview for a police department in 2017.

I'm sorry, 2012.

Yeah.

So I was in law enforcement from 2012 to 2017, so five years.

Hero Sheet, I wouldn't say specialized units.

I was an FTO, which I enjoyed.

I taught some classes at the academy.

So like first responder, trauma management, things of that nature, Narcan instructor, kind of one-off trainings that I went to.

But really the biggest thing that I did while I was there was FTO.

Right.

Right.

And I mean, it adds it adds that context and color that I think you can only get so much of in the police academy.

Right.

And you get out of the police academy, you get into the department.

And to me, that's really where the rubber meets the road.

And you can have, you know, because there are good FTOs and there are not so good FTOs, unfortunately.

And I think that can really make or break a young officer, a young officer's career and outlook on the job.

So the very first thing that I would tell them is explore the reason why you want to be a police officer.

I think that is by far the biggest component that can determine success or failure is the why, right?

Just like anything else, right?