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An up close and personal interview with U.S. Police Veteran and Togetherweserved.com Member:
SGT Paul D Tong (2006-Present)
Irving Police Department
WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO MAKE A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT?
 One of my earliest memories as a child was waking up in the middle of the night wanting a glass of water. My father, Gary, often worked weekends as a reserve Irving Police officer. In those days, officers had helmets even if they were not motorcycle officers and I remember seeing my father's helmet on the coffee table and my father crashed out on the couch still in uniform. I cannot tell you why that memory makes me feel so strong towards a law enforcement profession, but it just does.
When I returned from my last deployment to Iraq in 2005, my wife and I agreed that it was time to pursue a new passion separate from the Marine Corps. After looking at several police departments in the North Texas area, I eventually applied with the Irving Police Department, my hometown, and was hired in January 2006. It has been the best career decision I have ever made.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?
I started with the Irving Police Department in early 2006. After the standard police academy, agency academy, and field training, I was cut loose to patrol in December 2006.
After two years in patrol, an opening in the narcotics section came available. I interviewed for the position and was chosen  to fill the open position. I was extremely excited as being an undercover narcotics investigator was something I had wanted to do for a very long time. Growing up in the late 70's and in the 80's, I remember the 'War on Drugs' being a constant presence on the news. I knew when I got older I wanted to help fight against illegal drugs on the streets.
I had been serving as a narcotics investigator for roughly a year and a half when my good friend convinced me to take the sergeant's exam with him and I agreed to give it a shot and see what it was all about. Low and behold, I passed the exam and ended up second on the list.
The Department ended up promoting three people off the list immediately and in July 2010, I started back in patrol as a patrol sergeant. I have been in that capacity since and am excited about all the new opportunities that I can experience.
DID YOU SERVE IN THE MILITARY PRIOR? AND IF SO, IN WHAT BRANCH OF SERVICE? IN WHAT WAYS HAS MILITARY SERVICE INFLUENCED YOUR CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT?
I joined the US Marine Corps in November of 1996. I loved my Marine career, but as a grunt, I started to feel that I had more to offer. The officer path did not exactly pan out but I was not sure if my place was to try to advance to  the top of the enlisted ranks.
After my fourth deployment, my wife and I found out we were pregnant with our second child. I decided it was time to end my active duty career and find a place near home to work that would still challenge me as a person. I found that with the Irving Police.
I have spent the majority of my Marine career as some kind of supervisor, be it as a fire team leader all the way to a platoon commander, but I have rapidly discovered, much to my dismay, that not all lessons and tactics learned in the Marine Corps are directly applicable to supervision in a police scenario. Still, I have learned a love for living a career that is about service and self-sacrifice. I love the feeling when I return home and know that I have made the world better for someone, even if they never know what I did.better for someone, even if they never know what I did.
WHICH, OF THE AGENCIES OR DEPARTMENTS YOU WERE ASSIGNED TO, DO YOU HAVE THE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY?
I have only served with the Irving Police Department. I have numerous friends from other departments and from those conversations with them I have determined that God led me to absolutely the right place to start my police career.
I was born and raised in Irving, Texas. When I was  looking for a place to start my career, my first thought was with the City of Irving Police Department but before I check it out, I applied with Dallas PD where I went through the whole application process up through the background check process. Dallas was looking to hire a massive amount of new officers and thus their application events were massive with hundreds of applicants every weekend for months. They simply did not have the time to personally do the background on every applicant, so they mailed out the background questionnaires to the people listed in the applicant's paperwork. This process takes about two months or more.
Two months later, I applied with Irving PD and took the civil service exam, did the physical fitness test, and got my application packet turned in when they opened the doors the next business day. I got a call back that afternoon for an interview for the next day and within less than two weeks, Irving PD offered me a job. A week after that, Dallas PD called me to ask if I was still interested and I had to tell them sorry.
I would have been happy with Dallas and I think I would have been successful there, but Irving was my hometown and the kind of department that I really want to be with. When I look back at how quickly and smoothly the process went with Irving, I really believe that God's hand worked in getting me here and thus I look back fondly on getting hired as a testament that I am following the path the He designed for me.
FROM YOUR ENTIRE LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER WHAT PARTICULAR INCIDENT HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
My career has been impacted from other officers. I owe so much to Sergeants Jason Rodgers and Scott Weidmann for lessons learned as a rookie. I owe much to Sergeant James Coleman (retired) for teaching me the ability not to take myself too seriously and to be able to laugh at  myself. I owe Captain John Thorpe for living the example of servant leadership. I owe so much to so many more that I hate to leave them out, but to help answer this question with an example, I will give one story that is not the biggest impact for me but was an impact and great lesson learned.
In April 2007, the Irving Police Department lost Officer Andrew Esparza (pictured) to a fatal auto accident while responding to assist another officer during bad weather. I learned that the friends we have at the Department and the lives we touch can be profound even when we don't realize it. I learned that Department officers have such a strong a bond and a deep love for each other, even when sometimes we don't get along.
I learned that Andrew was a hero and that I strive to be like him. I learned that the Irving Police Department is a family and that I chose the best place to work.
OF THE MEDALS, AWARDS OR BADGES YOU RECEIVED, WHAT IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
All of my "medals" mean something but my certificate of merit is my favorite as it signifies my work while in narcotics. I miss my friends there and the work, even if my wife doesn't miss me looking like a scumbag. I was a training officer prior to going to narcotics but was not a training officer long enough to rate the permanent FTO bar. I wish I had earned that. My other awards are meaningful but are more related to tenure and participation in other activities such as Honor Guard and drug education instructor.
Without sounding cliché though, I could put all those in a drawer anytime because the police badge and the name tag are all I really need.
WHICH INDIVIDUAL PERSON FROM YOUR CAREER MADE THE MOST POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON YOU AND WHY?
I'm afraid I cannot pin this to one person. Jim Coleman, one of my original patrol sergeants, taught me so much about not being so full of myself and being able to be open to criticism. Andrew Esparza taught me how much love we have for our fellow man. Others have taught me about forgiveness and grace. All of these are essential to having integrity and compassion as an officer.
CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR CAREER THAT WAS FUNNY AT THE TIME AND STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
As a junior narcotics investigator, I was working on closing a case on a bad guy I'd been buying crack cocaine from. I was supposed to pick him up, drive down the street, and have a patrol officer stop me for a "violation" and have him arrested. All the  details were worked out until he gets in my car and starts barking orders to do this, do that, go that way, blah blah blah. I got confused and flustered and tried to do what he wanted because I didn't want to "blow the deal".
Now, in retrospect, I know I should have just told the bad guy to get out of my car and just get him later, but I had this "zero defect" mentality and I thought I could outsmart the situation. What I did not know what that through a series of events, my bad guy had found out, or highly suspected, that I was a cop and was testing me. In the end, I drove where I should not have, lost my cover officers, and gave the bad guy $60 to buy dope when that was never the plan. Then he runs off not to be located. I got ripped. To add insult to injury, I actually ran into him 90 minutes later near the gas station where I first picked him up. I called for my backups and another long search ensues to try to find him but he got away again.
From that day on, I am kidded about my "ghost" bad guy and how I didn't just get ripped, but almost asked for it. It's not exactly a knee-slapper of a story, but it just shows that we are not perfect and that we have to remember that especially when subordinates mess up.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU HAVE LEARNED AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER?
 Always telling the truth! That is the most important lesson anyone in law enforcement can learn. We will always make mistakes, forget to do something, or miss a detail. Just be honest about it and know that sometimes the bad guy gets away. I, more than anyone, know that the harder you work and the more you try to do, the more you open yourself to mistakes and criticism.
I am also a little bold, willing to test my skills and knowledge, but I have learned to be more cautious. While enthusiasm is a positive trait for a police officer to have but so too is restraint when restraint is called for.
WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIP(S)?
I am a member of the Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA) and the Irving Police Association (IPA). I can honestly say that I do not participate in many police organization activities. I live a pretty good distance from work and my family occupies what little non-work time I have.
Irving Police Association's greatest values is it is really adept at communicating with the Chief of Police and the city manager about making sure that the best interests of the individual officer are represented during decisions regarding pay and benefits. The Chief and city manager often have to look at what is best for the City and the Department, so the IPA is a great buffer to make sure that we officers are taken care of as well.
HOW HAS SERVING AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU CONDUCT YOUR PERSONAL LIFE AND YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS OUTSIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT?
I spent 13 years with the Marine Corps. Some of that time was active duty, some of it was reserves. Some of it was while I was in college, some while working in the private sector, some while working with the Irving Police Department. Depending on my place in life, my  role in the Marines molded how I interacted with others.
As a police officer, I can also see where the role of being a police officer molds my interactions with others. Some are good and some might not be as positive. I definitely try to keep work at work, but as most officers know, sometimes you cannot help being at the grocery store and seeing that scumbag walking down the other aisle and just wondering if he is really up to something. Being a police officer makes me a bit skeptical and pessimistic. It is not always a bad thing because unfortunately it has kept me safe on the job and quite often I am right.
Luckily, my wife has been a Marine wife from the beginning and the past few years as a police wife has been significantly easier for her. I am actually calmer and I am home every day. That is better than the Marine wife waiting for the husband to come home from whatever combat tour he is on and hoping he can readjust and adapt quickly back to home life. Therefore, our previous years of marriage prior to being a police officer has made the transition easy.
I don't spend much time with anyone outside of work. Part of this is due to the hours I work and spending the rest of the time with family. Unfortunately, I think it also has to do with the fact that I tend to only want to spend time with brothers from work since non-police friends and family just don't get where we are coming from and interacting is difficult. I really am working on reaching out to non-police/non-military friends at church because it is healthy to have those kind of friends and good for my wife and kids to have these kinds of friends in our lives as well.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR A ROOKIE WHO HAS JUST PUT ON THE BADGE?
Be aggressive but remember to have compassion. Just because you can arrest someone does not mean you should. Still, get out there and make as many different type arrests as you can (legally, of course) and don't let the old hands discourage you from being proactive. On the other hand,  learn from your old hands as well. Think of Robert Duvall's quote from the movie "Colors" about the bull and the cows (if you don't know what I mean, look it up).
Sometimes you will have to let a bad guy go. But guess what: Bad guys will still be bad guys tomorrow and will more than likely be breaking the law again so just wait and get them then. Don't try to stretch the law or the facts of the circumstance because you have to WIN on that traffic stop or encounter. Listen to your sergeants.
Most importantly, conduct your job with integrity, safety and finish the day by going home at the end of the shift. And when you make a mistake, and you will, don't come down on yourself too hard. Just work hard, trust in the Lord and have integrity in your life at work and at home.
IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU FEEL THIS WEBSITE CAN BENEFIT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY?
 There are 1000 lessons to be learned from another person. The more people you communicate with, the millions of lessons you can learn. We all have experiences and unique lessons learned that we can pass on.
This website allows us to more easily communicate with law enforcement professionals world-wide.
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TWS VOICES
TWS Voices are the personal stories of men and women who currently serve, or who previously served as a US Police or Federal Officer, and conveys how serving their Country and Community has made a positive impact on their lives. If you would like your story to be featured in a future edition of Voices, or know someone else who may be interested, please contact TWS Voices HERE.
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