Camille, California, USA

I was driving home late one night in Summer 2008 when I noticed a car following close behind me. I shrugged off the wary feeling I had and continued home. I parked my car and when I opened the door there was a man filling my door jamb, holding a .45 semi-automatic handgun to my left temple. I was ordered out of my car at gunpoint with no property – not even my shoes. I slowly walked away from my car anticipating the bullet I was certain would end my life. Moments later I heard tires screeching. The man with the gun was gone and so was my car.

About one week later, my father, and since retired Police Officer in the city of Los Angeles was going to grab food for my family when he saw my car drive by him. Without hesitation my father gave chase to the vehicle occupied by four people waving guns out of the car windows when he got near them. My father did not relent, but instead chased them to a restaurant parking lot and coordinated with the local police department to apprehend the individuals inside my stolen car.

Sometime later the man who carjacked me was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

I was forever changed by that experience. I made the decision to devote my life to preventing people from having to experience the fear, sadness and grief I felt for so long. In August 2012 I became a Police Officer in the city of Los Angeles.