Military Pivot Leads To Flourishing Detective Career
At 19, James Campo was involuntarily “disenrolled” from college.
Deep personal struggles and newfound freedoms had added up. A classmate, however, told stories of something that enticed Campo: the Missouri Army National Guard. Its structure had a way of turning lives around, and Campo needed that.
Enlisted, Campo appealed his college’s decision to drop him.
“The dean asked, ‘Is there anything that you would do differently?’” I said, “I would actually go to classes, and I have enlisted in the Missouri National Guard.” He said, ‘Okay, if you’re going to put in the work, I’ll give you another chance.’”
With that, Campo springboarded.
He would also join the Army ROTC, graduate, and become a logistics officer. When he met a KCPD motorcycle officer, though, another reset took place. Campo wanted to help people in a more personal way as a KCPD officer, graduating from the police academy at the start of COVID.
“In the field, it was everything that I expected to be, and then some,” Campo said. “I'm a very empathetic person. I really felt for the people I’d meet, and I think that made me an effective police officer.”
Wanting to learn what happened with cases after the initial call, Campo joined one of KCPD’s many investigative units. In 2024, he became a robbery detective. His suspect development work and other efforts have helped convict robbers at the state and federal levels.
“You start with nothing, and you have to figure out who did it,” Campo said. “Being able to catch people that think they're going to get away with it because they want something that you have, it’s amazing.”
KCPD’s specialized units, similar to the military, offer a wide range of career options, with a baseline of continuing service to others. Campo recommends it to veterans exploring the next stage of their careers.
“It's a great way to provide service to your country, but on a local scale where you can see the results,” Campo said. You can get more intimate with the public, feeling like you are helping them. Additionally, if you like the structure from the military, the police department is a really good step outside of the federal government.”
KCPD has police officer openings. Apply now.