Someone You Should Know: Don Walsh
DARE officer, Frankfort Police Patrolman
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March 10, 2009
He led quite a life before he showed up in Frankfort.
Frankfort Police Patrolman Don Walsh jumped straight into the Air Force after high school, committed to widening his knowledge of the world.
"I really wanted to travel," Walsh said. "I was 18, I wanted to go places and travel as much as I could."
After a short amount of time away from home, Walsh was sure he'd made the right decision.
"I immediately took to it," he said. "I couldn't imagine doing anything else."
As a police officer in the Air Force, he moved from Missouri to Japan, to New Mexico and Iraq, before finally landing back in his hometown of Orland Park after four and a half years.
A cousin worked with the Frankfort Police Department and recommended Walsh check it out for his next job.
He took the police officer's test in January 2007 and began his time with the department in June 2007.
As he approaches his second anniversary with the department, he's hoping to see many more.
"This is one of the places where, the things they have in the community, Breidert Green, Concerts on the Green, Fall Festival, it's something I think Frankfort does really well," Walsh said. "They take it to a whole new level."
While he works in Frankfort, he lives in Mokena but hopes to stick around on the Frankfort police force.
He's currently a DARE teacher at Chelsea Elementary in Frankfort, while also completing his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Governor's State University.
When he's not at work, or at school, he finds himself surrounded by the same people he works with.
"It's funny, because we spend so much time at work together, and then we find ourselves finding ways to spend time we're not at work together," Walsh said.
Ultimately, he'd enjoy staying in Frankfort, working his ways up the ranks of the police department and possibly someday seeking the job of commander or chief of police.
"I enjoy working here," he said. "I want to stay in Frankfort for a long time."
To nominate someone as Someone You Should Know, contact editor Lauren Traut at l.traut@frankfortstation.com, or call (708)326-9170.
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