Hello, My name is Kade Johnson, and I am currently a Criminal Justice major at Boise State University. My goal is to earn my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice while also completing certificates in Conflict Management and Leadership and Human Relations. These additional certifications will strengthen my knowledge and leadership abilities as I prepare for a career in law enforcement. After graduating, I plan to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming an Idaho State Police trooper, with the long-term goal of serving as a detective. Throughout my life, I have been asked the same question countless times: “Why do you want to become a police officer?” Friends, family members, and even strangers have asked me this. Many of those conversations include concerns about how public perception of law enforcement has changed over the years. While I understand those concerns, my answer has always remained the same. I have wanted to become a police officer ever since I was a young boy. Growing up, I admired law enforcement officers because I saw them as people who protected others, helped those in need, and made their communities safer. As I have grown older, I have come to understand that policing is much more challenging than I once imagined. Even so, my desire to serve has only become stronger. I believe law enforcement is more than a career—it is a calling to serve others with integrity, professionalism, and compassion. One of my greatest motivations for entering this profession is my desire to make a positive difference in the lives of others. I recognize that the actions of a small number of unethical officers have damaged the public's trust in law enforcement. While I cannot change the past, I can control the type of officer I choose to become. I want to earn the trust of my community through honesty, fairness, respect, and accountability. My educational goals reflect that commitment. In addition to my Criminal Justice degree, I have chosen to pursue certificates in Conflict Management and Leadership and Human Relations because I believe they will make me a more effective officer and future leader. Conflict Management will help me develop the skills to communicate effectively, remain calm under pressure, and de-escalate difficult situations whenever possible. Likewise, the Leadership and Human Relations certificate will prepare me for future leadership opportunities within the Idaho State Police. While becoming a detective remains my primary goal, I also recognize the importance of strong leadership in law enforcement. I hope to one day mentor fellow officers and help build a culture of professionalism, accountability, and service. Serving others has always been at the heart of my ambitions. My education, leadership training, and personal values are preparing me to become the kind of officer who serves with honor, integrity, and respect. Thank you for taking the time to review my application and for considering me for this scholarship. I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration. May God bless you, and I hope you have a wonderful day. Sincerely, Kade Johnson

Hello, my name is Kade Johnson. I am a Criminal Justice major who recently completed my Associate’s degree at the College of Southern Idaho. This fall, I will be attending Boise State University to complete my Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. After earning my degree, I plan to apply to the Idaho State Police Academy to pursue my lifelong goal of becoming a police officer. My career aspiration is to work as a detective in narcotics or homicide investigations. However, I am also interested in serving in an administrative leadership role within law enforcement if that path becomes available. I would say that the most influential people in my life have been my parents. I have been fortunate to grow up with two loving, caring, and disciplined role models who have shaped the person I am today. They taught me the importance of responsibility, self-discipline, kindness, respect, and integrity. Above all, they instilled in me the value of honesty. My mother, in particular, always reminded me that trust is built through honesty and that once trust is broken, it can be difficult to regain. She often told me that I never wanted to become “the boy who cried wolf,” because one day I might truly need help, and people must be able to believe me. This lesson has had a significant impact on the way I view law enforcement. Unfortunately, there are officers who abuse their authority and damage the public’s trust through dishonesty and corruption. I am committed to ensuring that I never become that type of officer. When I earn my badge, I intend to wear it with honor, respect, integrity, and loyalty. I understand that being a police officer is not simply a career, but a responsibility to uphold the law and serve the community ethically and professionally. Honesty will remain one of the core values that guides me throughout my career. I am committed to learning, improving, and serving others with dedication every day. My parents have had an incredible influence on my life, and I am truly grateful for the values they have taught me. Their guidance has helped shape me into the man I am today, and I know those lessons will continue to guide me throughout my future in law enforcement. Thank you for your time and consideration of my application. May God bless you, and I hope you have a wonderful day.

You know, every little kid dreams of being a firefighter or a police officer. I let that dream last longer throughout my life. My dream is to become a law enforcement officer. I have always wanted to become a cop. I do not know why, but it always interests me in something I want to do. I like helping people so I want to do that and make a difference in my community. I am currently a senior in high school and just have a couple more weeks left before I graduate. From there, I will move on to the College of Southern Idaho where I will double major in Criminology and Law Enforcement. I know that you don't need to go to college to become a cop, but with this route, I can do something while I wait for myself to turn twenty-one. It will also help me strive further and faster in law enforcement. The reason why I want to double major is because if I have a Criminology degree, it will help me open new doors in case I don't want to do law enforcement. After I graduate with my two degrees, I plan on becoming a cop for the Boise Police Department in Idaho right away. My main goal is to become a detective in either narcotics or homicide. I love mystery cases and I love helping people so that will be my dream of all dream jobs. If I don't become a detective, then I would still want to make a difference so I would want to climb the leadership ladder in the Police Department. Another division of the force that seems interesting to try is SWAT. Honestly, though, I don't care what division of the force I will be in or what rank I want to be, I just want to make a difference in my community and help make my community feel safer. Lately, police have been highlighted not in a good way in the news. That is another reason why I want to be a cop. The majority of the police departments have good officers. However, there are some bad apples in those good departments. That is why I want to be a cop. I want to add at least one more good cop in the community. The more good cops we have in our community, the safer the community will feel. Everybody has dreams and wants to make those dreams come true. If you want to make those dreams come true though, you have to work for it. That is certainly what I am doing right now. I am trying to get myself ahead of the game of becoming a cop. I already have job shadowed my school resource officer for the Jerome Police Department for my senior hours. I want this dream and I am determined to get it.