COLUMBUS, Ohio –
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: Travis McCarthy
Job title and location: Police officer at Defense Supply Center Columbus, Ohio.
What inspired you to become a police officer? I became a police officer to help community members in their times of need and to help change negative perceptions of law enforcement through positive interactions.
When did you join DLA’s police force and what did you do before you got here? I joined the DLA police force in September 2021. Before that I worked as a Marine Corp Reserve military police officer from 2014 to 2020 and a security officer for Paragon Systems from 2017 to 2022. I also received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Ohio University in 2020.
Describe your typical workday in 2-3 sentences. My normal day as a police officer at DSCC is arming up for a shift, figuring out whether my post is going to be patrolling or the main gate, attending roll call to get information from the prior shift, and getting gear needed for the shift. From there, I conduct security patrols around the perimeter of the center, check buildings for security violations such as unsecure doors or vaults, and respond to calls for service from dispatch.
Describe the most dangerous situation you’ve encountered on duty. One of our most dangerous situations is responding to an alarm for highly secured areas like those with sensitive items like firearms. Upon arrival at the location, you need to be vigilant to give real-time locations including which doors you’re entering and north/south/east/west directions so arriving officers can coordinate exits that need to be covered. You also have to be careful about pointing a firearm at a person when your guns are drawn.
What’s the hardest part of being a police officer and why? Working every day, step by step, to change the negative view of police officers until we’re in the good graces of people in the communities we serve.
What do you like most about your job and why? What I like most about my job is being able to work with so many good men and women in the agency.
What’s the biggest security infraction you see employees make? The biggest security infractions are when employees scan into secured doors and allow people to piggyback behind them so they don’t have to scan their common access cards.
What are you passionate about outside of work? My passions outside of work are lifting and running, hanging out with friends, playing video games and shooting guns.