I am originally from St. Thomas but have family ties to Chatham-Kent. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a police officer. I believe growing up training in martial arts is what gave me the confidence, determination and physical ability to pursue policing.
I am a master/4th degree black belt in taekwondo and have been training since I was 9 years old. Physically, it taught me how to defend myself and enabled me to be fit for duty. Teaching taekwondo taught me to be a leader and how to lead by example. I’ve also learned that everyone is different, in how they learn or experience things, so I keep that in mind when I’m dealing with people. Mentally, martial arts taught me to be goal-oriented and to follow through even when it would be easier to quit. I think the most important traits I attribute to being a martial artist are my patience, perseverance, humility, respect, self-control, and integrity. All these characteristics are transferable skills when it comes to policing and interacting with our community.
