Empty Nest

My second trainee has finished his first phase of training and is on to his secondary Field Training Officer. I can't believe how quickly the past 6 weeks flew by. It seems like I just met him yesterday. He is an interesting guy with a very unusual past.

He grew up in Bosnia during the war and lost several family members along with most of his childhood possessions. He told me there are only two pictures of himself as a baby that survived the war. He moved to America 7 years ago and quickly set off to become a citizen. After learning English (with remarkable spelling, I might add), he became an official U.S. citizen and instantly applied for the police department.

His rugged upbringing gives him a great appreciation of how things are in America. He constantly told me about the corruption, shortages, lack of opportunity, and sense of hopelessness he experienced in Bosnia. He is grateful for the American troops that helped liberate his town from enemy forces.

He is respectable, kind, smart, and honorable. I know he'll make a great officer.