My name is Steven. I currently serve as a Police Officer in Kentucky. My whole life all I wanted to do was become a police officer. I went to school to major in criminal justice and just assumed a job would land in my lap. I drank, I partied and I ate terrible food because I thought I was special and everything would be given to me. Well I failed my 1st police physical fitness exam by running a mile and a half at a snail’s pace. It was the worst feeling I had ever felt at that point in my life. Failure on a total and personal level.
My father saw me begin to train as hard as I was able to and decided to pay for a personal trainer out of his own pocket. That trainer got me down from 265 lbs to about 235 in 6 months and He helped me pass the Physical exam for the Louisville Metro Police Department. I entered the academy in June of 2012 and those 6 months were grueling and demanded everything I had. I left it all on the mats every day and studied my ass off. Come November I was sworn in as a Police Officer. The happiest day of my life (so far).
I married my wife a few months later (the next happiest day) and things were great. I accomplished my dreams and was married to amazing woman. That was when I became complacent. A couple years went by and I gained weight from free donuts and fast food. I was drinking heavily and thought I was invincible. And then I got a DUI. I thought I was going to lose everything. My job. My wife. The shame and embarrassment seemed unbearable.
As fortune would have it, I did not lose my job. I owned my issues and not feed them BS excuses. Because of that I kept my reputation on the department. My wife stood by my side and we started our own family together shortly there after. Now that I am a father, my priorities changed. I needed to become someone I would think my son would be proud to call “Dad.”
Within 3 years of that incident I went from 230 lbs to 190. I finished a Tough Mudder race. I became a field training officer on my platoon and my command staff believes in me strongly enough that they want me to take the Sergeant’s exam later this year. I don’t work off duty gigs or drink anymore. My time off the job is spent with my wife and son. I have never been this happy in my life.

For all those out there reading this; Just because you reach your goals doesn’t mean more hurdles are not on the horizon. Complacency kills. Always keep pushing. You should strive to grow, learn and love more every day. And don’t let your mistakes define you. Everyone casts a long shadow.