For many, a career in law enforcement is something seen only on the news or in Hollywood. But for Dylan Troche, a senior at DGS, it’s on its way to becoming a reality. Troche always knew he wanted to be a police officer. He finds joy in helping others in the community and plans on making a career out of enforcing the law and serving the public.  

However, Troche wishes to stray away from the recent stereotype of police officers abusing their power. He believes that he can help make a positive difference and fix the tainted image of law enforcement caused by recent events.

“I knew that I really wanted to go into [criminal justice] when I saw what was going wrong in the news a few years back, like police brutality… I want to be that person that stands up against that. I’m not going to abuse anybody’s rights, I’m going to let them know everything and not be selfish,” Troche said.

Every summer, Troche spends a week at something called “Special Camps”, which is a camp for disabled children. It’s a way he can demonstrate his leadership traits and provide assistance for local children with disabilities. One summer, he was assigned to a deaf child who was also autistic and since communication was a struggle, Troche took it upon himself to fix the problem.

“That night I did not sleep and I memorized the alphabet in sign language so that way I can at least communicate with him… The next day when I started signing to him, his face blew up and he was like, ‘Oh you learned it!’ and he was so happy about it,” Troche said.

“[When I help someone] I feel good. Even though it’s not something big, I feel like the little things count,” Troche said.

Troche plans to further his education by attending COD for two years to get his associate’s degree and hopes to enroll into Benedictine or Western Illinois University.

Troche long term goal is to be a police officer, such as an FBI agent or a CIA operative.

Following in his family’s footsteps, Troche has uncles who are in criminal justice as well.

“I have a lot of uncles who are cops, detectives, and prison guards,” Troche said. This has taught him multiple ways criminal justice can be useful in modern society. It also helps broaden his horizons when it comes to selecting which occupation fits his needs and wants.

In addition to criminal justice, Troche explains he wouldn’t mind being a teacher. Teaching is another way he can expand his opportunities to help others. Ultimately he would be able to achieve his main goal in life.