So, what’s the best thing about being a police officer?

The best thing about being a police officer is to provide service, just to people out on the streets, the community, you know, being able to be a self servant to others. The reason why I joined is, to be able to, in a sense, keep the peace, encourage people to do right all the time, and to be able to help others.

What’s the best thing about working at Grady?

It’s the family environment, in the academics. This is a family affair when it comes down to the administration, the students…you have respectable kids. I worked at other schools, but Grady…it’s kind of above the rest. I have a club here called the Officer’s Club where I mentor students and encourage them to challenge themselves for their future endeavors.

Cool! So like, what’s the most rewarding thing that’s come out of the Officer’s Club?

Rewarding thing?

Yeah! Are there any memories you have, or special moments?

Just seeing all of the students progress as the year goes along…being able to pass on the knowledge I was given as far as when to take the SATs, preparing yourself for college…and being able to give the skills and knowledge that I have to those students.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen happen at school?

Well, I wouldn’t necessarily call anything crazy, but um….no, we just take every day as it comes, no day is exactly the same, so you gotta kinda be on your p’s and q’s and kinda keep your antennas up and aware of all of your surroundings.

Were you a troublemaker when you were a teenager?

(laughs) I was not a troublemaker in school. I was an honors student, I graduated with a 3.7 GPa, so I was in all honors classes, I played football, basketball…I was an honorable mention all-state football player, so I was able to be blessed with a football scholarship. So, no I wasn’t a bad student at all in high school. I worked as well as played those different sports, so I was a well-rounded individual.

So did you do anything else besides football?

Basketball, weightlifting, and I also worked, so after practice I would immediately go to work, and be able to but the things that I wanted to buy, you know, and kind of assist my family, because I had other siblings at home…I kind of took some of the burden off of my parents. But it was fun because I worked at the Boys and Girl’s club, so that’s what rounded me to be the individual that I am today. I guess that’s what formed me, made me want to be a police officer, because in a sense it’s kind of the same thing: you’re around students and you’re around kids to be able to encourage them, and see them grow as young men and young women.

What was your biggest takeaway from your high school experience?

…that’s a good question! My biggest takeaway…was just take every moment with pride. Tomorrow’s not promised to you, so you may not get that opportunity again, so take advantage of the situation that you have in front of you and be a sponge to everyone.  You take the good stuff, and you leave the bad stuff, and you kind of decipher what things are good for you and what things aren’t good for you, and that makes you who you are.

Have you ever felt scared on the job?

Never felt scared…I feel that I have enough training that my muscle memory will take over so as far as scared…it’s just knowing that at any given moment in time I have to react to protect people around me and that’s a part of my job.

What are you most proud of?

Proud of…in my life or as a police officer?

Anything!

Wow. Hmm…most proud of my kids. They’re doing a awesome job, they’re very studious, well-mannered individuals so I’m really proud of them. They’ve come a long way. They were both premature kids, so I’ve seen them from less than two pounds to where they are now, so I’m proud of my kids and my family.

So, final question, I hear you eat school lunch every day…

(laughs) No I do not eat school lunch every day! I eat school lunch depending on what they have up there. We have a saying around the administration, “the dirty bird”. That’s when they have the baked chicken. So, we’ll make a radio call and say “the dirty bird’s downstairs”, so we know that there’s baked chicken and the baked chicken is normally pretty good, so…

I see! So would you say that’s your favorite meal?

At school? Yes. Yes. At school the baked chicken is pretty good.

What’s your normal favorite meal?

My normal favorite meal…I’m a Floridian, so I’d say seafood is my favorite meal. Anything seafood. Lobster, shrimp, anything that comes out of the water, I’m a fan of.

Alright, cool! Is there anything else you wanna say?

Um…You are truly blessed to be at a high school like Grady High School. Every person that’s here enjoys working with young men and women, we all want to be here. We all want to rub off on every individual that we come into contact with. So what I try to do is plant seeds and give students all the information that was given to me and try to be a positive influence for that student so that they can come back and say “Hey, I remember Officer Denson when he did this.” I just try to give positive energy to the students I come into contact with.