Before joining the SAPD I was a jailer at a local county jail. While I am grateful for the experience I gained at that position, there was little room for advancement, and I could not provide for my family the way I wanted to
I knew several people who served with the SAPD for many years and had made a very good life for themselves and their families. I heard of the many opportunities for advancement and the limitless chances to make a substantial difference in people’s lives. I decided to make a change.
The top three things about working for the SAPD are:
- The feeling you have when you make a difference in someone’s life.
- The total compensation package, including the benefits.
- The opportunity for advancement.
Lance Walpole & Zorro
The opportunity for advancement was big for me. It was the last piece in the pie that made the SAPD the perfect fit. As I said, I grew up raising hunting dogs and owning a bullmastiff and a german shepherd, so finding an opportunity to bring my love of animals — I currently have five pets at home — to work is great. I receive incentive pay for taking care of Zorro and the city provides a take-home vehicle so I can bring him to work safely everyday. Working in K-9 is just one of the avenues an officer can take if he or she wishes. The opportunities are there. You just have to put forth the effort to decide what path you want to take and then move along it.
