When I was 7 years old, my dad left his job repairing electrical systems at the bank to join the police academy. At the time, he was 34 years old with a wife and two young boys to support - not typically the best time for a career change, but he heard the call to serve as all officers do. Don’t get me wrong, there will always be people in need, and there’s job security in that. But as the old joke goes, ‘there are easier ways to help people - you could always be a firefighter.’
A police officer needs to be capable of extreme kindness when counseling people on their toughest days, and at times, be capable of extreme violence in an act of protection. This dichotomy takes a special sort of individual. I did not get to see ‘Officer Maddock’ at work in every situation, but if ‘the officer’ was anything like the dad he was, it was a great fit.
I knew him as a relatively stoic man with a quick wit. Slow to anger and eager to have a good time with friends and family, he was a calming presence in the household. Yet, if my brother or I were in danger or threatened, he acted with such speed and precision we knew there was nothing he couldn’t protect us from.
In the fall of 2010, he passed away from a heart attack while on a hunting trip. The outpouring of love and support from the Arnold Police Department, the community, and the local businesses are the primary reasons I chose to call Arnold home – where I chose to raise my family – where I wanted to get involved, give back, and pass along that love and support.
This Memorial Scholarship is to continue the legacy of Officer Dan Maddock’s work for the community. We believe in the Jefferson County Law Enforcement Academy’s approach to developing strong, capable officers.
-Joe Maddock
