As police sirens blare down the freeway, another collision is prevented and senior William Jin imagines himself in the place of the officers.
For Jin, becoming a police officer is more than a career goal. As a student, he hopes to one day serve with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) or, if circumstances lead him elsewhere, the Hong Kong Police Force, with a particular interest in traffic services. Motivated by personal experiences–watching cars crash on the News–and a desire to prevent fatal collisions, Jin is actively preparing through physical training, self-study and mentorship as he works toward a future in public service.
“This has been a passion that I’ve had for a while because I like helping people. [Being in] CHP means I’m able to do [my passion],” Jin said. “Their main job isn’t just writing tickets. They’re the state police of California, and one of the main misconceptions of the CHP is [that it is just] American Automobile Association with a badge.”
Jin’s interest in traffic enforcement stems from a moment during his sophomore year, when he saw flashing sirens outside his home. Not thinking much of it, he went to sleep. But the following day, he learned the incident was a fatal traffic collision.
“[That experience] really made me want to work in traffic services because I don’t want to see [collisions] every day,” Jin said. “I just want to be the first to be on scene to try to prevent traffic deaths.”
With the goal of becoming an officer in mind, Jin has already begun preparing for both the physical and knowledgeable aspects of law enforcement. He does so by researching police codes and procedures through independent study and maintaining a consistent workout routine several days a week to meet physical requirements.
“I’m preparing by doing a lot of the CHP physical requirements. I ran 1.5 miles within the time frame and I’m practicing push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups,” Jin said. “I also know most of the penal codes, some of the vehicle codes, some of the health and safety codes in case I end up going to the [police] academy.”
At home, Jin’s parents see the qualities in him that they believe will make him a successful officer.
“I think he’ll do great as a police officer because they need to be nice and calm under stress during hard situations,” Shijia Zhang, Jin’s mother said.
His calm demeanor is not the only quality that will make him a successful police officer; his willingness to help others regardless of the circumstances is equally important.
“There’s a unique charm about him because he’s always eager to help anyone no matter the costs,” Tie Jin, Jin’s father said.
Beyond training and preparation, Jin’s motivation is rooted in how he approaches service and responsibility regarding other people.
“I want people to see me as someone with a lot of altruism,” Jin said. “I think that CHP has a lot of altruism because they’re always the first people to be on scene in a vehicle collision even though it can be dangerous.”
