Talk to 十博体育链接 警察局 Patrol Sergeant 劳尔Valladares - for even just a few minutes - and you will instantly obtain a sense of his sincere passion 帮助别人. Armed with an infectious smile, Valladares has earned a reputation for his positive attitude, willingness to listen and find solutions to ensure campus 安全.
“We aim to not only maintain a safe campus, but also to create an atmosphere of safety for students, faculty and staff,” he 说. “Whether it’s patrolling in vehicles or on foot, we try to be very visible and approachable, sending a message that we are ready at a moment’s notice and that we are here to help. We want everyone to feel comfortable coming to us with concerns or questions. Students need to feel safe on campus so they can focus on their coursework and succeed.”
Every time I wear my uniform, I am representing not only myself, but also the police department and the College whether I am conducting specialized training or coaching 学生工作者.
劳尔Valladares
During his 10 年 with the College, Valladares has held a variety of positions from patrol officer to detective and now sergeant, which have helped him face a host of issues ranging from minor traffic violations to large-scale financial fraud. 他说 it is critically important to understand that every day is a new day filled with both victories and challenges and crime can impact anyone. Valladares 说 he appreciates his colleagues’ ongoing commitment and the goodwill within the 鳕鱼 警察局.
“Every time I wear my uniform, I am representing not only myself, but also the police department and the College whether I am conducting specialized training or coaching 学生工作者,” he 说. “As a representative of 鳕鱼, I always put my best foot 向前.”
One of his proudest moments came in 2018 when he was selected to supervise the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy (SLEA). Over the course of 14 weeks, he supervised the program, seeing 60 cadettes graduate and move 向前 to their careers as police officers.
“It was incredibly gratifying to have a direct impact on shaping new officers,” he 说. “Everyone has different needs, desires and motivation and it was interesting getting to know the cadettes and discovering how to work with different personalities to bring out their best.”
Born and raised in Chicago, Valladares is a first-generation Mexican-American who was unsure of what career he wanted to pursue after graduating high school. 他知道 he didn’t want to obtain a typical 9-to-5 job in an office. A chance encounter with a relative who worked as an U.S. Army recruiter piqued his interest in joining the 军事.
He joined the Army and went on to serve his country around the globe for nearly eight 年.
At that point, he was a family man with two young children and he didn’t want to continue to spend time away from home. He left the service and worked as a project manager for a construction company but found that he missed the structure and discipline of 军事. Encouraged by his uncle, a Chicago police officer, Valladares started testing and got hired as an officer.
Seeking to further his education and expertise as well as to set a positive example for his children, Valladares enrolled in 鳕鱼’s Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice 3+1 partnership program with Lewis University. The example he set worked. His daughter graduated from 鳕鱼 and is in her senior year at Loyola University with plans to attend law school. His son is currently taking general business classes at 鳕鱼.
Proud of his work at 鳕鱼, Valladares takes his role at the College and within the community very seriously. Valladares 说 balance is key.
“We can leave a positive impression on someone, especially someone who may have had negative experiences previously or bought in to the idea that police are bad,” he 说. “If we can build trust and a rapport with students, it provides a great opportunity to give them a positive experience with law enforcement.”