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After a four-year stint in the Army and currently serving in the National Guard, Jacob Terpstra wanted to continue his career in public service.
With that in mind, he applied to be a police officer in Countryside
And on Feb. 12, he was sworn in as a probationary police officer at the Countryside City Council meeting.
Alderman voted 6-0 to approve his hire.
Terpstra, 25, said “I like satisfaction jobs” after the council meeting.
“I was an Army guy before this, four years, I’ve been in the National Guard for two,” he said.
He served one year overseas in “tropical” Kenya with the Army.
“We still got to go and do patrols. It was fun to meet a lot of (the) locals. Did a lot of work bringing hygiene products to the villages,” he said.
Now he’ll be helping Countryside residents in his new job with the police department.
“Satisfaction is probably my No. 1 priority. The money is nice, but I want to feel satisfied,” Terpstra said of why he wants to be a police officer.
Asked to compare law enforcement with the military, he said, “the brotherhood is the same” and added “there’s going to be a lot more laws and regulations to pay attention to.”
And, as in the Army, there are dangers. But he’s not scared.
“I think it’s probably more dangerous on the streets here,” he said. “It’s part of the job. Someone has to do it. If I’m capable, why not me?”
He is a graduate of Illiana Christian High School in Lansing and is now studying at Indiana Wesleyan University where he is majoring in global security and strategy management.
Terpstra’s girlfriend, her parents and her grandmother attended his swearing-in ceremony.
Asked if his Army background prepared Terpstra to be a police officer, Chief Paul Klimek said, “Of course.”
“I think he’s shown he can excel in a high-stress environment. And he has the discipline and the skills to succeed,” Klimek said.
“I think he’ll be comfortable being in a structured environment. He’ll adapt very quickly,” the chief said.
Klimek smiled when asked if the newest officer can expect to be working in the wee hours of the overnight shift.
“We don’t want to tell him that right now. Probably. He most likely will, based on seniority,” Klimek said.
During the meeting, the city council approved Klimek’s request to purchase seven Sig Sauer MCX Patrol Rifles and related accessories from ACME Sports Inc. for $24,544.
Klimek told aldermen that each squad car is equipped with a rifle and the department’s current rifles are more than 10 years old. ACME was the lowest of three bidders.
ACME also knocked the price down a bit as it accepted six old rifles as trade-ins, he said.
“I don’t have a use for them. So, rather than having them sit here in storage, we got some money for them and put that to good use,” he said.
Countryside does not have its own shooting range where officers can practice, he said.
“We go to the state police range out in Joliet twice a year,” he said.
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