Retired at 46

I have officially retired with 23.5 years of dedicated service as a law enforcement officer.  I am proud of my accomplishments. In addition to my primary duties, I often found myself drawn to helping those in need. I spearheaded multiple charity fundraisers, wellness initiatives and community projects. I received the prestigious Award of Merit, ranking as the third-highest departmental honor, for thwarting a robbery in progress, twice earned the City of Orlando’s Employee of the Quarter, accumulated seven Community Service Awards, six Awards of Administrative Excellence, four Award of Commendations and 17 Unit Citations.  I received the Detective of the Month award nine times, and was recognized as being named the Administrative Officer of the Year, the year preceding my retirement. Oh lastly, I finished as the runner-up for the NASRO (National Association of School Resource Officer) School Resource Officer of the Year. Yeah, I did THAT!

I had reached a plateau in my career, with no real opportunities for growth, and quite frankly, I felt undervalued.  As someone who had sworn an oath, I understood the significance of my of commitment, not just to my agency, but to my community, and to uphold the principles of justice.

However, I had come to realize that my tenure and experience were no longer considered relevant in an organization that seemed to prioritize popularity and youth over experience.  This wasn’t the result of a particular administration or leader, but rather an organizational culture that impacts the profession as a whole.

Having devoted approximately 23 years of my life to my career, I had reached a point where I felt it was time to move on.  Unlike most, I had maintained a life outside of my profession, with a diverse group of friends, who were not affiliated with law enforcement.  In fact, over half of the guest at my “friends” retirement party were from outside the law enforcement community.  This reinforced my decision to retire, as I realized there was more to life than my career.  I decided to prioritize my well-being.  After retirement, I chose to take a three month break to travel the world.  However, 14 months later I found myself in my 34th country still enjoying the freedom and adventure retirement had brought me.  I am forever grateful for the opportunity to serve my community.

To those who are reading this post and have the distinguished privilege of continuing to protect and serve our community, please understand this is my journey, which may or may not resonate with your own experiences.  As someone who remained positive throughout, I believe that this mindset is essential to the profession. This reflection aims to validate the feelings and emotions that have impacted my career.