It’s always helpful and inspiring to hear from men who have found success in their field of work. In the “My Job” series, we’ll interview men who have desirable jobs and ask them how they found purpose in their life. In this first installment of the “My Job” series we interview Jon Bean who has served as a SWAT Team Officer and has filled other security roles during his time as a police officer.
Tell me a little bit about yourself, John.
I am 47 years old, born in Washington, D.C.
How does one go about becoming a police officer?
There are several different ways. You can go the college route and get your 4-year degree or your 2-year government degree, but my financial situation coming out of high school didn’t afford me to do that, so I chose the military route. I joined the Army and joined a very aggressive unit that I thought would help me eventually land on a SWAT team. I joined the 82nd Airborne Division, because I knew that was an aggressive unit. I knew that somewhere down the line that being an infantryman was going to help me with policing.
What kind of skills and qualities did the Army instill in you that you think make a good policeman?
I think what it did for me was to instill discipline and patience. I was about 13-14 when I got saved, and I knew that God was working with me. I knew that if I did the right thing, then God would help me get there. When I was in the military learning to get in shape, working as a team and around other guys, I knew it was going to help me as a police officer. You learn the patience and the discipline that you have to have in a unit like that.
So what do you think it would take for a police officer to have a successful career as opposed to someone who doesn’t have a successful career?
I think first of all he has to humble himself and realize that we are police officers here to help people. Sometimes we come into people’s lives at the worst times in their lives. But we always have to stay true to who we are and know that we are there to help, regardless of the situation. Sometimes when you give someone a ticket for speeding or for running a red light, they may be mad at you, and you might not want to write it. Somewhere down the line though, you have to know that if that guy ran a red light this time, the next time he could cause an accident. Your ticket may slow him down the next time to prevent an accident. I think the first thing that you learn as a police officer is to communicate effectively, and then you will be a good police officer.
Do you have any tips or advice you can give someone to encourage them to go after their goals and ambitions?
As I mentioned earlier, I was saved as a young man. The Spirit of God hit me, and I knew that if I made right choices, then I would be able to live my dream of being on a SWAT team. My advice is to believe in God, to always believe in yourself and to make the right choices, because the choices you make will affect your life, whether they are good or whether they are bad. God has a plan, and I knew that if it was God’s will, then I was going to be successful. I had a lot of hurdles. It wasn’t easy for me as an African American to become a member of our SWAT team. I knew regardless of those hurdles in front of me that nobody could defeat God. God was in my heart, and I said if it is to be and it is his will, then I was going to get that. When I became a SWAT officer, I knew that he was with me every time I went out and tried to help people. If I was doing the right thing, then I knew I was not alone.
Do you have any stories that have shaped your career or outlook on life?
I came upon a situation in a mall one night. There was a fight going on and one of the guys had a knife. As soon as I approached them and said I was a police officer, the man with the knife fled, and I began to pursue him on foot. I chased him into an alley, and we came to a large fence. It was pitch black, and I knew he had a weapon. The guy hit the fence and turned on me. As he turned, a spotlight hit him and lit him up. I looked the guy right in the eyes and yelled, “Drop the knife! Drop the knife! Drop the knife!” And he said, “NO.” He started coming towards me. I fired a shot, and BOOM he went down and the light went out. I was looking at the guy, and I saw the security guard on the other side. He said he saw what happened. My back up was getting there during this time. I walked up and cuffed the guy. I was thinking, “Where did that light come from?”
As my back up was getting there, there was chaos going on – officer involved shooting, guy down. I was thinking, it is 10 o’clock at night and pitch black. I chased this guy in a dark tunnel, but when he turned on me, at that very instant a spotlight hit him. It enabled me to look him dead in the eyes. After the shot, he went down, and the light went out. The first thing I did when I approached him – I knew I had hit him or I thought I had hit him – was say a prayer for him, because I thought he was dead. I asked God to forgive him, because I didn’t know what he was going through in his life. The whole time I was thinking, “Where did that light come from?”
My backup was there. Everyone was talking and helping me to adjust. The fire department got there to take a look at the guy. They turn him over, and there is no blood. They asked, “Where did you hit the guy?” I said, “Look, I just aimed at the center of him.” There is no blood, and I’m thinking that I must have missed, and the guy is faking. They turn him over and cut his shirt, and there is a hole dead center. If it were a target, then it would have been in the X range. The shot pierced his heart. The guy died instantly and fell to the ground. I’m thinking, “Wow, the light and the perfect shot – this is not me.” I knew that God was with me during that situation, because I’m John Bean, and I like to believe that I was trained to do all that, but it was too perfect.
I talked to my Pastor a couple of days after that situation. He said it was a case of good vs. evil that day. I encountered an evil subject, and because God was with me as a police officer that day it allowed me to survive, and my actions were perfect. He allowed that light to come on and gave me the perfect shot. What I didn’t know was that the guy had a Walkman around his neck, and the shot landed an inch below that. If the shot had hit the Walkman, it probably would have deflected. I would just say that my belief in God kept me alive that day. If people think that miracles don’t still happen, then that was a miracle that day. Everything was perfect, and John Bean is not perfect. I thank God every day for being with me that day.
How many years were you on the force and what was the most rewarding part of being a police officer?
I was with the police department for 20 years from 1985-2005. Probably, the most rewarding part was knowing that you helped people change their lives. Another reward was for me to actually live my goal of being on the SWAT team. I did that for 10 years with the police department, and it was the most rewarding to be a member of an elite team like that. I first thought of joining, when I was watching a TV series when I was 15 called “SWAT,” and then I was able to do it. When I talk to kids or anyone I tell them to believe in themselves and to trust in God. If it is to be, it will be. If you really want it, and it is in God’s will, then you are going to do it.
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From Joe Gibbs: Do you have a passion and determination about your life? Are you focused on playing the full sixty minutes in the game of life? As a coach and race team owner, I’ve always emphasized a fast start to the season to instill confidence. Then I wanted the middle part of the season to set us up for a strong stretch run. I want to be consumed with storing up treasures in Heaven as I strive to finish well. Check out Tony Evans' Chapter on Purpose in Game Plan For Life for more direction on getting the most out of life.
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