As a young boy, Justin Reaid knew he wanted to be a police officer.
“Ever since I can remember, I just knew this was what I was going to do,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
He might be only 18, but Reaid is now one step closer to his dream. He was recently hired as a Public Safety Liaison for the Acworth Police Department.
Reaid’s duties include responding to non-emergency calls and transporting those arrested to a nearby jail. The department’s four public safety liaisons handle tasks that allow uniformed officers to focus on keeping the community safe, while gaining law enforcement experience.
For Reaid, applying for the job made perfect sense: He had already served three years as a police cadet with the department.
Credit: Alexis Stevens
Credit: Alexis Stevens
Acworth police cadets meet twice a week, even during the summer, and for special events, doing everything from learning laws to helping with traffic control and picking up trash. Last year, the cadets’ hard work paid off when they won the state championship after competing against teams from other agencies. Reaid was the cadets’ captain during his senior year of high school.
When he applied for the full-time position, Reaid competed against other candidates before getting the job.
“The cadet program gave him a bump up because we were already familiar with his work ethic,” Sgt. Eric Mistretta said.
Reaid said it’s an important step toward fulfilling his dream. He will be able to begin police academy training when he turns 21.
“It seems like it’s going to be forever,” he said. “But I know I’m going to enjoy this.”
Credit: Courtesy
Credit: Courtesy
Reaid said he also might enroll in college. For now, he’s learning his new role and knows a career in law enforcement means he will always be training to improve his skills. His experience as a cadet helped prepare him for his job, and Reaid said his parents have encouraged him.
“They’re very supportive,” he said. “But they’re like, ‘Are you sure that you want to do this?’ They want me to follow my dreams. So they’re definitely very supportive.”
And Reaid knows working in law enforcement can be dangerous. But he said he’s eager to serve and one day wear the badge. As a cadet, Reaid said he enjoyed being out in the community at various events and meeting people.
“I’ve just always been the type of person to try and help other people,” he said. “It seems natural for me that this is what I want to do.”
KNOW A TEEN WHO WANTS TO BE AN OFFICER?
Check with your local law enforcement agencies to find out what types of programs are offered. Agencies through the metro Atlanta area offer cadet and explorer programs.
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