I was looking through a catalog last week that had for sale some police equipment, of which a section in the catalog pertained to police badges. I was admiring the badges and bemoaning the prices they get for them these days, and it got me to thinking about my past and when I first started wearing a badge. I pinned on my first real badge in the 4th grade as a Patrol boy with the rank of Lieutenant. I was promoted to Captain in the 5th grade until one night I left my traffic sign out overnight and a 18- wheeler ran over it. Then I was demoted back to Lieutenant again.

The next opportunity I had to wear a badge or at least an ID of sorts was after high school when I worked with the FBI in Washington, D.C. It was a picture ID that you hung around your neck on a chain and you needed it to go anywhere in any FBI building. Around that time I received notice that my draft number was due up soon and if I wanted to enlist, I should come home and do so, or wait to get drafted. I went back to Indiana and enlisted in the United States Air Force and after basic training I received my badge as an Air Policeman, the Air Force's version of a military policeman. Later, while serving in Vietnam the USAF decided to change the name from Air Policeman to Security Policeman and therefore I received another badge. I wore those badges for four years and then was discharged from the Armed Forces.

The next badge I wore soon after my discharge was that of an Indiana Clinton City Patrolman which I continued to where for six more years or until my wife decided to return to Raymondville, her hometown, and so we packed up and headed South. By. now 1 had ten years in law enforcement and this was in 1976. I had decided it was time to look for another line of work that paid well and one month later I was working for Sheriff Oscar Correa as a Deputy, sporting a new badge. While working for Sheriff Correa my badges changed from deputy to Sergeant, to Lieutenant. Later I started working for Sheriff Raul Arevalo Sr. as his Chief Deputy, which meant yet another badge.

In 1984 I was elected Sheriff but would not take office until January 1985. During that time I worked as a District Attorney Investigator for District Attorney Edna Cisneros , which meant, yet another badge. Finally I was sworn in as Sheriff in 1985 and received my Sheriff's badge which I have been wearing for the past twenty-five years. I tell you all this because it snuck up on me and I just realized as of June 1, that I've been wearing one badge or another for over 44 years. There's a book in there somewhere, I just hope I can remember all the stories to write them down before the memory goes. I've really enjoyed wearing all those badges and all that went with them, even the bad times. All I need now is to wait and hear those words we all long to hear, "Well done, thy good and faithful servant enter in."