Weston Police Chief John Troxell knew from the time he was 7 years old that he wanted to be a police officer. He remembers watching the television show Adam 12, about a veteran and a rookie officer in Los Angeles, and realizing that's what he wanted to do. I tell people that becoming a police officer or a fireman or something like that is not a career choice, its more like a calling, because youre not in it for the money. Youre not going to become a rich millionaire, said Troxell, who became the towns third chief in 2008.
"Most officers or firemen get into the business because they want to help people, said Troxell, and that was my primary reason for wanting to be an officer."The chief said hes seen a lot of bad, but also a lot of good, since he joined the force in 1980 as a part-time patrolman. One of the highlights was helping to deliver two babies. Troxell, who has two daughters, said because a lot of what officers have to deal with is primarily the negative when it comes to human nature when you see something like a baby coming into the world thats the ultimate way to help somebody. Troxells family moved to Weston in 1972, when he was in the eighth grade and graduated from Weston High School in 1977. He worked in the Karlin and Bleicher jewelry manufacturing and gold refining factory and took night classes in criminal justice at Sacred Heart before attending the police academy in Meriden and joining the Weston force.Troxell, whose parents still live in town, feels that Weston is really his hometown. And he says thats been driving his police career. What I try to do is give back to the community as much as I can ... I care about this town and the people that live here.
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