Ep 113 | From Tate High to Officer of the Year

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Parents that are listening who have little boys and little girls who are choosing police officer outfits for their Halloween costumes, what would you say makes good qualities for a potential officer?

SPEAKER_00 0:14

So I'd just say you you always think of the typical old-time you're going to be hard, mean, right, and everything, but really that's not the case. Someone who's kind-hearted, they have good ambitions, they're trustworthy, loyal, and you know you can always trust them with anything, really. They're not going to turn your back on you. And pretty much integrity is the biggest thing. So it's what you do when people aren't looking that makes the biggest difference.

SPEAKER_02 0:45

Welcome to the Voices United in Education podcast. Each week we showcase the teachers, administrators, and community members who go the extra mile to contribute to the success of every student in Escambi County. You'll meet the real people behind the titles and learn about the amazing resources to support every student's success. The saying goes, when you know, you know. This was the case for my next guest who knew from a young age that he wanted to be in law enforcement. What he didn't know is that just three years in, he would be named Escambia County Sheriff's Office Deputy of the Year. Today he's going to share his path to Sheriff's Deputy and his hopes for what's next. Committed to public service, asset to the community, Tay Tai graduate Adam Nori. I'm so glad you're here.

SPEAKER_00 1:35

Hi, thank you for having me. I'm it's a pleasure to be here.

SPEAKER_02 1:38

You always wanted to be an officer, but nobody in your family is in law enforcement, which I find pretty unusual. So what drew you to the profession?

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Yes, I just kind of always wanted to do it. Looking back now, my mom found a picture of me when I was four, dressed up for Halloween as a police officer, and just something I've always had an interest in. I always loved the cop shows, everything about it, just not really obsessed with it as a kid, but just always had a good interest playing cops and robbers.

SPEAKER_02 2:05

There's something about what you want as a kid that is so navigationally accurate to what you should do as an adult.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 2:14

So good for you for listening to it. Tell me about the process of becoming a deputy in Escambia County. What's that like?

SPEAKER_00 2:22

So throughout the state, you have to go through a recruit training class, the police academy, basically. And you have to do 770 hours total to get your standards. Then you can be hired on with any agency in the state of Florida.

SPEAKER_02 2:35

And what made you choose the sheriff's office over another agency?

SPEAKER_00 2:38

So I've lived here in Escambia County my whole life and just always kind of loved the county. And one of the biggest things is I wanted to work at the beach. And of course, the jurisdiction over the beach is a Scambia County Sheriff's Office. So that's what kind of drove me to go towards them. And I got hired on with them pretty young, pretty much out of college or while I was in college. And they actually paid for my academy and assisted in paying for my college at the same time.

SPEAKER_02 3:03

Yeah, that's the cadet program, right?

SPEAKER_00 3:05

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:05

That is so interesting. Tell me more about that because that surprised me. When I think of university students, I definitely think of you know ramen noodles all the way until halfway through the first year of your first job. But for this program, you get benefits and a salary and you're still in university.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

So it's something very cool. The sheriff has brought on, Sheriff Simmons. It's basically people 18 to 21, kind of that fresh out of high school age range, maybe in college. They'll hire you on as a cadet. So you're they'll pay you a full-time salary, full benefits, and you get to work alongside deputies at the same time while you're waiting for that 21-year age mark to where you can then go to the academy. And so you learn all types of skills. You get to see what investigations does, what the traffic unit does, crime scene does. And then once you're ready to go to the academy, they actually send you to our own in-house academy now. And they train you up, get your standards, and then you hit the road as a full-fledged deputy by yourself.

SPEAKER_02 4:02

In-houses in Escambi County?

SPEAKER_00 4:04

Yes. So there's several different academies across the state. And recently the sheriff has made his own academy here at our agency. He was able to get everything approved for that. So that's another cool tool that we have at the agency to kind of make a stand apart from others.

SPEAKER_02 4:18

Wow. So there's a lot of kind of built-in programs specific to Escambia County that would help people become a deputy.

SPEAKER_00 4:27

Yes. There's now that makes pretty much two academies in the county, and there's one also at Georgetown that I went to.

SPEAKER_02 4:33

Tell me about that. What was that like?

SPEAKER_00 4:35

So it's a little bit more like a college-based academy. So it's through Georgetown Center here. And basically it was a part-time academy for me. So you could work during the day if you had another job, and then you go to the academy from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at night for about seven months to get your total hours. So it's a little bit drawn out, but it made it work with other people's schedules that have families, kids, stuff like that. So that way they can still go do all that stuff during the day and then academy at night.

SPEAKER_02 5:04

So for you, you always knew that you wanted to be a police officer. So you graduated from high school and then you went straight to UWF or to Georgetown?

SPEAKER_00 5:13

To UWF.

SPEAKER_02 5:14

To UWF. And then you got your degree in what?

SPEAKER_00 5:18

So fresh out of high school, I went to UWF, got my degree in criminal justice with a minor in public administration. And so I was in college when COVID happened. And so that's when we went to all remote learning. So I had a lot of time on my hands, and that's when I got hired on as a cadet at the same time, September of 2020. So right in the midst of everything. And so basically I was a full-time college student, full-time cadet, and full-time academy at the same time. Oh wow. But thankfully, since all my classes at UWF turned to remote, I was able to do everything that way and not have to worry about being at one place or different places at one time.

SPEAKER_02 5:55

So knowing that you don't have to have a degree to become an officer, why bother getting a degree other than a backup plan?

SPEAKER_00 6:03

So you don't have to have the degree. Obviously, all you need is a high school diploma or GHD. But with that diploma or a bachelor's degree or AA, uh, it can help you promote faster in the process. We just recently, with the PBA, which is our union, got a new contract ratified. And then it changes our promotional process a little bit. And basically the standards for promotion are if you have 10 years prior experience, you can promote to sergeant within three years without any degree. But if you do have your bachelor's, you can promote within four years of being hired on at the office. And then if you have your AA, it makes it five years without any other experience or training.

SPEAKER_02 6:44

I mean, that's a big cut. Like that's I mean, it cuts it down to more than half. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:49

So I'll be eligible to test for sergeant in the next about year and a half.

SPEAKER_02 6:54

That's exciting.

SPEAKER_00 6:55

So and with that degree, it really helps.

SPEAKER_02 6:58

You've already reached your goal of being able to patrol the beach. Yes. I mean you're a deputy of the year. I feel like you're you're peaking a little early here.

SPEAKER_00 7:07

It was an honor to be able to get that. I didn't expect it. It came out of the blue from an email saying, Congratulations, you've won this. You have to show up to this award ceremony.

SPEAKER_02 7:17

Did you have to give a speech?

SPEAKER_00 7:19

I did not. That was the one thing I was kind of prepared for is because when we got sworn in at the ceremony, you have to give a speech. They hand you the microphone, sheriff says, Tell the people what you want to say. And thankfully for this, he didn't make me do that.

SPEAKER_02 7:33

It makes me laugh a little bit thinking about you being on the front lines of high stress situations, being afraid to give a speech.

SPEAKER_00 7:42

Yeah. So public speaking is one of the things you really have to learn how to do in this job. Because most of everything you're doing, you're talking with people. You could be high stress situations, people kind of going kind of crazy, but it comes down to just being able to talk to them.

SPEAKER_02 7:56

I think that kind of speaks to like the self-regulation too, like being able to be calm and centered in a high stress situation, whether that's high stress, oh, I don't know, on a podcast with a stranger or or in a call that you've received. Do they in in either George Stone, UWF, or in the academy, what does the mental health part of that look like for cadets?

SPEAKER_00 8:25

So they're very good about keeping everything open. Uh there's quarterly block trainings. Uh so four times a year we have shift block training at the agency. And um most at least one or two times a year, they touch on the mental health aspect. Um, so that way you know you always have somebody to talk to, resources that can be anonymous, you can reach out to. So your supervisors don't have to know about it, the agency doesn't know about it, and they always make it known that there's resources available to us. Uh, so in case we do get in that high stress situation that could be possibly traumatic, um, you can always reach out to somebody to talk to them.

SPEAKER_02 9:01

Have you noticed that since you know you said you went to university in 2020, have you noticed a shift in people that are kind of on that law enforcement trajectory in their attitudes towards mental health? Because I think it impacted all of us. But when I think about the um the stereotypical law enforcement officer, I feel like, you know, the hard exterior, not necessarily someone that's gonna feel their feelings.

SPEAKER_00 9:30

I would say it has changed a lot because it m it's made a lot more people look inside themselves versus just the external things. So it makes people more people aware that, hey, these issues do exist and we should actually help people for them instead of just treat them like they're criminals.

SPEAKER_02 9:45

So what's next for you now that you've, you know, deputy of the year, beach patrol, what's your goal?

SPEAKER_00 9:51

So my end goal would ultimately sound a little kind of out there, but I'd like to be the sheriff of Scambia County eventually.

SPEAKER_02 9:59

When you said public administration as a part of your degree, that was the first thing that I thought of.

SPEAKER_00 10:05

Yes, I've always been a fan of like politics and county politics, and so I kind of have grown an interest in that route ever since I was hired on. My co-workers would always call me the sheriff and call me captain, stuff like that. And so that it's a good feeling knowing that people can trust you and look up to you for advice even when you are. So eventually that would be my goal is to work my way up to car number one, as we call them, the sheriff.

SPEAKER_02 10:31

Oh, I didn't know that. I like that. I don't think that's a crazy goal at all. I I heard a rumor that you also have interest in working in SVU, is that correct?

SPEAKER_00 10:40

Yes. So I took some college classes when I was getting to my degree in crimes against children, which is like internet computer crimes, that kind of stuff. And uh it grew an interest in it uh because it's just an interesting thing that people they know about, but they don't know the specifics of it and don't really know how it all works or the background behind it. And so thankfully we have a special victims unit here at the office that uh actually investigates those kind of crimes. And I've had a good interest in it and would like to go up there one day for sure.

SPEAKER_02 11:09

When you are working towards your goal of being car number one, do you have a platform like someone would if they're running for a different kind of political office? Would yours be crimes against children or does it not work that way?

SPEAKER_00 11:24

It doesn't really work that way specifically, but you can use those as stepping stones to promote within the agency itself, kind of while you're climbing the ladder.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

What's your goal for Escambia County? Since we're talking about big goals, like what you mean, you've lived here your whole life. What would you like to see be true for us?

SPEAKER_00 11:42

Honestly, just to make sure that we have uh true and honest political figures in office that people can trust and uh know that are doing a good job and not kind of wasting their money.

SPEAKER_02 11:53

For parents that are listening who have little boys and little girls who are choosing police officer outfits for their Halloween costumes, what would you say makes good qualities for a potential officer?

SPEAKER_00 12:08

So I'd just say you you always think of the typical old time a you're gonna be hard, mean, right, and everything, but really that's not the case. Someone who's kind hearted, they have good ambitions, they're trustworthy, loyal, and you know you can always trust them with anything really. They're not gonna turn your back on you. And uh pretty much integrity is the biggest thing. So it's what you do when people aren't looking that makes the biggest difference.

SPEAKER_02 12:33

And for for kids who are interested in law enforcement, what message would you want to speak to them?

SPEAKER_00 12:39

I would say go for it. Do it. You're gonna have people tell you no, it's not worth it. You don't get paid that good, but honestly, it's a self-fulfilling job. You won't don't really do it for the money, you do it for the experience and the people you help.

SPEAKER_02 12:52

I like that a lot. We were talking about mental health a second ago. The transition from being a cadet with a partner to being on your first solo patrol. Do you remember one of your your first solo patrols? What was that like being on your own?

SPEAKER_00 13:10

It's uh pretty interesting going out by yourself because throughout your field training experience, you have a senior deputy who's there training you. But once you're done with it, you're in the car by yourself, going to calls by yourself. You have to hit the ground running because it's a Scambee County, there's a lot of calls. You have to go to them. Um that stands out the most is I was just around the corner from a shots fired call. Um, what happens on the radio? They tone it out, so a long beep goes out, then your stomach kind of drops a little bit because you're waiting to hear what it is, and it says shots fired, possible victims down, and I'm right around the corner from it. So I'm going to be first on scene. And I my jaw's only on the road about a week at this point by myself. And so I get on scene and there ends up being three gunshot victims. Thankfully, they're all still alive today as well. But they were laid out in the yard bleeding, and we were able to kind of revert to our training and experience because in high stress situations, you're gonna revert down to your basic level of training when it comes down to it. So we're able to apply medical aid to all three victims, and they were able to survive, and we were able to get all four suspects later that night.

SPEAKER_02 14:23

Wow, that's incredible. So one week into being on your own and a triple shooting, no big deal.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

Yes. So it's always interesting because the caller says sounds like automatic gunfire, and you know, you're rolling in in the Tahoe, it's not bulletproof. And so you're gonna have to take that in consideration when you're going in that you want to go home that night, but thankfully everyone did.

SPEAKER_02 14:47

Thankfully. When I think of other, I guess, stereotypes of someone who is in law enforcement, I think of adrenaline junkies, thrill seekers, but you were an Eagle Scout and you were the president of various clubs in your your high school, all things that say safety and security to me. Am I totally off base by feeling that in order to be interested in a law enforcement career, you need to be a bit of a thrill seeker?

SPEAKER_00 15:15

Not at all. It's actually very diverse pool of deputies that we have. You have some that are they have accounting degrees, then you have others that don't have they're in the military, they were jumping out of helicopters. And so we kind of all come from all walks of life, and everyone loves things a little bit differently. But of course, you do have some of the ones that just like to drive fast and chase people down, which that's another fun part of the job.

SPEAKER_02 15:42

Any final words before we wrap up?

SPEAKER_00 15:44

I'd just say if you're interested in the career path, I definitely take a look at it. Reach out to the Scambi County Sheriff's Office recruiter and ask what kind of positions they have open because it's one of the best things I've done in my life and would always recommend it to everyone if they're asking.

SPEAKER_02 15:58

Awesome. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00 15:59

So thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02 16:01

Thanks for listening. Be sure to subscribe and share. Voices United in Education is a production of Scambia County Public Schools.