Garrick Sharp

"I really like the Criminal Justice program; it’s totally different than what I was used to. I was in the Army National Guard for nine years, and went to school before for gunsmithing, and that was a totally different realm. This is much more theory and thinking outside the box. I didn’t want to do gunsmithing forever, and I wanted to make a career change into something meaningful, where I could help people, so I chose law enforcement. I’m a little older, so I wanted to do it now; it was now or never.  

I considered other schools but had a history at M State in Detroit Lakes, and this program was close to home. I like the hands-on stuff we do in our classes, like room clearing and traffic stops, and I really like having my voice heard. We practice moving as a team, which is really helpful, and the program gets people out of their boxes and talking to each other more, which is good.  

I’m in my second year, and when I’m done, I’d like to be a patrol officer in Becker County or Detroit Lakes. I’ve already worked for Becker County boat and water (Boat and Water Safety Division) over the summer, so I got to know the county better and really like the guys there. That experience gave me a good taste of law enforcement."