Close Up Radio Spotlights Master Peace Officer Steve Cherry

Denison, TX – Mr. Rogers once said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things on the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

Steve Cherry is a Master Peace Officer with 47 years in law enforcement experience. Cherry is currently a reserve officer in the town of Pottsboro outside Dallas.

“The Bible says blessed are the peacemakers,” says Cherry. “A police officer in uniform is a symbol of the community, and we represent assistance.

In addition to his service as a police officer, Cherry has also taught college credit criminal justice courses on law enforcement, criminal justice and forensics and crime prevention at Denison High School, community colleges and police academies for 36 years.

“I've seen a lot of men and women who are just on fire to be a police officer,” says Cherry. “It is a calling. I've got dozens and dozens of former students that have gone into law enforcement. I’ve even got some students who are already retired.”

Cherry says law enforcement and teaching are not separate for him. You have to be well grounded, whether you're a cop or a teacher, because you're going to get challenged over and over again.

“There is nothing I teach my students that I don’t have firsthand knowledge of,” says Cherry. “I tell them about the bad stuff on the first day of class. We're going to talk about bad things happening to good people and bad things happening to bad people. We're going to talk about stuff you will not hear in another classroom in this building. And it will be the truth.”

Cherry is also the author of two books: While on Routine Patrol and The Cows Don't Know It's Christmas.