Career Path of a Police Officer at UCLA Police Department
London's career path was unexpectedly winding, starting with a college football scholarship and evolving through teaching, youth pastoring, and physical therapy before a career in law enforcement at UCLA Police Department. The transition to policing, inspired by interactions with officers and a lifelong desire to "help folks," led to their current role in community engagement, described as "the best job next to the chief of police," a position perfectly suited to their educational pursuits in leadership and education.
Community Engagement, Career Pivoting, Non-Traditional Career Path, Higher Education, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
London McBride
Police Officer
UCLA Police Department
Utah State University 99'
Southern New Hampshire University; MS-Organizational Leadership
Anthropology, Sociology
Government & Public Sector
Legal
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Extensive experience working with young people: London's career included being a sports coach, PE teacher, and youth pastor for 20 years. This demonstrates a strong ability to connect with and mentor young people, a skill valuable in community policing.
2. Unconventional path to law enforcement: London's career wasn't linear. He transitioned from a football career and various other roles (teaching, youth pastor, physical therapy) before becoming a police officer, highlighting that there are diverse paths to reach this career.
3. Focus on community engagement: London's current role emphasizes community engagement and building relationships between law enforcement and the community. This showcases the importance of interpersonal skills and a proactive approach to policing.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Please include any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
My career path is a bit crazy because this wasn't the career I thought I would be in. I played football my entire life, from flag football through high school and college. I received a scholarship to Utah State University, where I studied interdisciplinary studies with a focus on health and society.
In college, I took all sorts of classes that interested me, from psychology and sociology to philosophy and music. I kind of took a little bit of everything that piqued my interest. My plan was to play football, but I also wanted to do something afterward that allowed me to continue working with people. That's why many of my classes were in the humanities, arts, and social sciences.
After graduating from Utah State with my bachelor of science degree, I returned home to LA and played for a team called the LA Dragons. I wasn't picked up by Seattle, though I was briefly considered by the Seahawks. Instead, I played in a pro spring league here in LA. Once that was over, I decided I was done. It was fun, but I realized I didn't want to do it for a career as I initially thought.
I ended up teaching and was a sports coach and PE teacher at St. Martin de Tours Catholic school, a private school up in Brentwood. I did that for two years and loved it. I realized I truly wanted to work with kids and help them develop the right mindset, something I discovered through my conversations with them as a teacher.
What I ended up doing, which I didn't realize college had paved the way for, was becoming a youth pastor. I've been a youth pastor for about 20 years. That was fulfilling. However, landing my current role at UCLA is a bit of a funny story.
I got married, and my wife worked at UCLA. I was working in physical therapy for about five years. I had always noticed the police officers who would come through the hospital. We would talk, and they'd mention my athletic background and ask if I'd ever considered being a police officer.
I had thought about it in college. Growing up in a neighborhood in Carson where the police officers were really cool, I thought, "Yeah, that would be pretty cool." So, I applied, took the test, and passed. Now, 17 years later, here I am.
I believe I have one of the best jobs, next to the chief of police. My role is in crime prevention and community engagement, which we now simply call community engagement. It's a great position because I get to be in my wheelhouse, hang out with people, build connections, and serve as a bridge between law enforcement and both the campus and outside communities. Doing this has been really, really fun and rewarding.
Education-wise, my bachelor's degree was never aimed at law enforcement; I always focused on helping people. While at UCLA, I earned my master's in organizational leadership and am now working on my doctorate in education. These degrees have nothing to do with policing; they're all based on my desire to educate, which is what I've always wanted to do.
Because my mindset has always been that of a teacher or educator, I bring that perspective to my profession, and it's been a blast.