Still a student after long service Wence M. Arevalo, Sergeant (SWAT), Glendale Police Department Years of service:
18 years
Education/training:
I have an associate’s degree from Glendale Community College and I’m working on a Bachelor’s degree from Grand Canyon University.
Career highlights: I’ve had many moments with the City of Glendale, but one of the most memorable was first getting my promotion to Sergeant. I was proud I had achieved the promotion through hard work. And, I was eager to become a leader to train officers and share my experience and to serve our Department and the citizens of Glendale better. Another was earning the Medal of Valor for saving the life of a citizen. Also, I completed 20 years of service to the United States Naval Reserve. Valuable learning experience: Being a police officer requires so much work on so many different levels. I have learned to always be a student. What I mean by that is an eagerness to learn new things to improve yourself as a person in your career but also in your character. People make mistakes and it’s important to learn from them in order to make better decisions and also help those around you do the same.
Why did you decide to pursue this career? As a kid, I was always intrigued about police work. I have always been a person who had the call to serve. I joined the military at a young age and I like the structure and the service to my country. When I was released from active duty, my uncle, who is a Lieutenant with the Glendale Police Department, mentored me and helped me become a police officer. I have been fortunate to have spent time in a wide variety of positions within the Department where I continue my service to my community.
Final word:
Education is important and my advice to anyone wanting to pursue a career in serving the community is never stopping learning. Serving comes with sacrifices and a great deal of responsibility and, the better you are as a person, the better you will serve those who need you.
How do you balance your career and personal life? I have a great and supportive family. They have made sacrifices for my service, so I make it a point to put the same amount of effort into my family relationships as I do in my career. My kids are my highest priority and I spend as much time with them as I can.
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Help us acknowledge those who serve. Men and women currently in the military or first responders. Send your info to editor@latinopm.com. latinopm.com
¡ May 2013!
Latino Perspectives Magazine
35