“I have wanted to be a police officer in Mobile since I was five years old. I graduated from the police academy six months ago and had a blast working Mardi Gras parades for the first time. I played football in the streets with kids to give them special moments with a policeman and to be there for them. I had no idea it would be special to other people.
One of the boys told me he wanted to be a police officer, and that meant everything to me. When I was their age, I played cops and robbers and watched ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’. I loved Chuck Norris and wanted his GMC truck.
I grew up in Mobile and played football at Theodore High School. I dreamed of playing ball at the University of Alabama but had a couple of injuries and never made it. My next plan was joining the Alabama National Guard because all of my family served in the military. I have been in for four years, and the Guard taught me that if I put my mind to something, I can do it.
I started the police academy a year ago. The first days were intense — the instructors gave us a culture shock to make sure we wanted to be there. I looked around at my class and knew this would be my team, and we would handle situations together.
The first six months have been a thrill. I ride the Beltline area of Airport Boulevard and the service road, and I never see the same thing twice. It has taken time to learn the ropes and get to know my squadmates, but we can tell each other’s emotions by the tone of voice. If I hear someone over the radio with a different tone or inflection, I head their way to back them up.
Police officers wear many hats: a counselor, a peacemaker, and one who stands in the gaps. People call us for a situation they can’t handle, and we walk into high-stress situations with folks at their worst moments. I take a step back, breathe, and then approach. I love being a ‘calm in the storm’ and want to be ready physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
I try to be a positive energy, but I have been through my own dark times. My parents divorced when I was young, and I went back and forth between them. My brother passed away last September in a motorcycle accident. He was 28, and his death hit me hard. He wanted me to do better than he did, and I learned a lot from him about what to do and what not to do. My first experiences with police officers were when my brother got into trouble and they came to our house. My brother later grew up and straightened out, and I wish he as still around.
Times of grief and change are part of being human, and my experiences give me compassion for others hurting or going through a loss. I adjust to situations and find common ground to reach people where they are. Each of us has opportunities to help others turn bad days around.
The biggest lessons I have learned are to be selfless and do the best I can all day, every day. We are connected and need each other. Spreading good in the world is all I want to do, and now I have a platform to do it.
I got this tattoo of a compass and arrow with a friend on a trip to Tennessee. Ohana means ‘family’ in Hawaiian, and my compass leads back to family. I make family everywhere I go, so where my arrow lands is where my family is.”
Joseph
(The pictures of Joseph with the kids in the Mardi Gras parade were taken by Christopher Bryant. These photos inspired many of us, and I wanted to know the story behind them.)
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