Mar/Apr 2026 - 27 Years in the Blink of an Eye

As I enter my final year at LVMPD and the LVPPA, I find myself reflecting on time. When we're young, time feels endless. Waiting for the school year to end, getting your driver's license, graduating, holidays, and birthdays all seemed to take forever. Then, at some point, time stops slowing down. Here I am writing this article, and the first quarter of 2026 is almost over.

As you get older, time seems impossible to slow. I can vividly remember joining LVMPD in August 1998, standing at inspection as a 19-year-old cadet, waiting to get yelled at for messing up a code or definition.

In what felt like the blink of an eye, I was in the police academy, going through the incredible process of learning, discipline, teamwork, and what it meant to be a police officer, something I always dreamed of.

Next thing I knew, I was in narcotics, having the absolute time of my life, running and gunning with the best officers and detectives I've ever known. I always thought I was a good cop, but I didn't truly understand what great cops and detectives looked like until I worked here. Their talent was amazing, and the supervision was solid.

Then I came up to the PPA, representing our members, and eventually serving as President. While narcotics was the time of my life, representing our profession has been the most humbling and rewarding experience I've ever had.

Now, 27 years have passed, and my career here is ending. It feels like a blink. Suddenly you're older, your hair is gray, and your P# makes new officers gasp when they hear it. Over those 27 years, I am proud of what I accomplished. I achieved everything I wanted to as an officer. I met my amazing wife, Tiffany, and together we raised four beautiful daughters, all of whom are my best friends.

I've laughed so hard my stomach hurt, almost to the point of wetting my pants, and I've cried holding the weight of a 2-year-old lost to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). I've lived through everything between those extremes. And yet, looking back, I still think about things I could have done differently.

If you've watched The Chosen, you know how powerful the show can be. It changed my life and could change yours, too. There is a scene where Jesus speaks to church leaders and says, "You are losing something. I know what that's like." When asked what they were losing, he said, "Time." That line has stayed with me. Our time on this earth is not infinite. What feels like a lifetime is, in God's eyes, just a blink of an eye. What we do in that blink is what we'll be remembered for, and what fills our hearts when we look back.

Fill your time here with experiences. Do everything you've ever thought about doing here at LVMPD. Leave no stone unturned when it comes to opportunities to grow and serve our community. I promise you this: if you try everything, you will one day look back like me and smile at who you were when you started, and who you became.

Enjoy this job. It can give you so many meaningful experiences. Embrace the struggle. Not every day, week, or month will be easy. We're not tested by victories; rather, we're tested by losses. Do you fail an oral board and quit, or do you come back the next year and try again? Stay persistent. Do not give up easily on what you want to achieve.

In closing, please make the most of your time at LVMPD. Don't let a bad boss, a rough assignment, or other noise bring you down. You control who you are and how you respond. The stars only come out in the darkness.

Thank you for allowing me to lead this organization for the last 10 years. I wouldn't change a single day or decision as your President. Please stay safe out there.