Managing editor
Ever since Clinton Jeffrey was a child, he wanted to be in law enforcement.
The 2006 Marion High School graduate and Marion resident participated in a “ride along” program beginning in 2000 with local law enforcement.
“I’ve been around this group of officers for nine years,” Jeffrey said, so when an opening for a Marion Police Officer became available and when he turned 21 and could take law enforcement training, Jeffrey jumped at the opportunity.
Born in Hillsboro, Jeffrey and his parents, Mike and Diane Jeffrey, and siblings have lived in Marion most of the younger Jeffrey’s life.
He has always known he was going to be in law enforcement.
Before being hired by the Marion Police Department in April, Jeffrey was a corrections officer with Marion County Sheriff’s Department for about 18 months.
“That experience was good for me. It taught me how to interact with people who typically are not very happy or upset,” Jeffrey said. He also learned the law first-hand, saw the court process, and how the court system works.
In a couple of weeks, he will go to law enforcement training academy at Hutchinson for the rigorous training required to be a full-time officer.
At the academy, he will have thorough training of the law, pursuit driving, hand-to-hand combat, firearms training, and other aspects of law enforcement.
Currently, he is a patrol officer, typically spending his shift observing traffic and responding to calls. Officers with the Marion department work different shifts, which means different kinds of calls.
“Dealing with the public is the most interesting part of my job,” Jeffrey said. “I’ve met people from all walks of life. No two people are the same.”
The young officer has not yet had the opportunity to discover his niche or the strengths he possesses but knows after his training and with more experience under his belt, he will. He does enjoy patrolling traffic and observing drivers and plans to do this for a long time.
“I never know what’s going to happen the next day,” Jeffrey said, “or the next minute, and that’s what I like.”