Dale Deeken

"A life-changing call to serve."

That's how Dale Deeken describes the moment he was sworn in with the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office, his first-ever law enforcement job and the direct result of graduating from the CCCTC Adult Education Police Academy this past June.

But Dale's path here wasn't a straight line, and that's exactly why we wanted to share it.

He's a Navy veteran. Before the academy, he was a chef until COVID took that job away. In 2021, he and his wife made a plan: she'd go to work, and he'd stay home with their growing family. Then in 2023, she lost her
job, too. Dale started driving for DoorDash to keep things afloat and looked into joining the Navy Reserves, only to find out he wasn't medically eligible.

That's when his wife asked him a question that changed everything: had he ever thought about becoming a police officer?

Dale looked at various training options, including the Highway Patrol Academy, the Columbus Police Academy, and another local program. He chose CCCTC because the schedule let him stay close to home for his family, now three kids, with the youngest born in 2025.

In his own words: "This has changed my life because I get to serve my country and my community, and I give my family a stable income and benefits. I also get to do something that my children and wife can be proud
of."

Congratulations, Dale! We're proud of you, too.