SAN JOAQUIN, Calif. –
Editor’s Note: May 14-20 is National Police Week. This is a part of a series of spotlights highlighting members of the Defense Logistics Agency Police Force who work 24/7 to protect DLA people and property.
Your name: Sebastian J. Herrera
Job title and location: Police officer for DLA Distribution San Joaquin, California.
What inspired you to become a police officer? It’s been my childhood dream; I grew up listening to my father’s stories as he was a police officer in the 1980s.
When did you join DLA’s police force and what did you do before you got here? I joined in the beginning of 2022, and prior to my employment with DLA, I was a local municipal police officer for a small city and a lateral deputy sheriff in California for several years.
Describe your typical workday in 2-3 sentences. I arrive at work early to get in uniform, armed up and ready for briefing. My assignment for the day may be gate force protection duties or a patrol position on the depot. I’m regularly assigned to a patrol position that requires some building checks, traffic enforcement and education on the installation.
Describe the most dangerous situation you’ve encountered on duty. The most dangerous situation I’ve encountered while on the DLA police force was when I arrived at our truck gate entry to assist officers with an installation denial for entry. During the administrative inspection, our dispatch revealed that the driver we were out with was potentially on a terrorist watchlist. That raised our precautions on how to handle the detention, and it was ultimately handled within our agency’s policy.
What’s the hardest part of being a police officer and why? Being away from family, working irregular hours and the potential of being in harm’s way.
What do you like most about your job and why? Community policing, helping people and being part of the solution.
Do you have any funny stories you can share from your time protecting people and property? Last June, I was involved in training some of our newer officers during our Wednesday weekly shift trainings. We were going over investigative stops and proper handcuffing techniques and had set a scenario with multiple role players, a patrol vehicle and a suspect vehicle. Newer officers were to determine whether a crime had been committed and if they had probable cause for a detention, and then properly detain the suspect. Our veteran officers were acting as role players and were free to make the scenario more difficult as it progressed. When one of our newer officers released a suspect after failing to run a background check on him, the veteran officer who was role playing yelled “I’m wanted!” and ran from the scenario. Our newer officer took it well and laughed at herself.
What’s the biggest security infraction you see employees make? Employees failing to secure buildings and doors behind them.
What are you passionate about outside of work? Spending time with my family, camping, riding all-terrain vehicles or dirt bikes with my children, and other outdoor sports.