It’s not uncommon for a high school student to be unsure of what they want to do for a future occupation. However, Senior Jared Thornburg is one student who already knows what he wants to do.

Over the last three years, Thornburg has been training to work in the field of law enforcement as a police officer. He says its something he wants to do as a career.

“My two main reasons [to become a police officer] are to help people and become influential,” said Thornburg. “I want to help people by taking bad guys off the street and making the world a better place.”

Thornburg described what sparked his interest in working in law enforcement was the reality show, COPS. He said it looked fun to go on a ride-along.

Interested in police training, Thornburg soon joined the explorer program at Carlsbad Police Department. The program offered hands-on training, exposing trainees to the experience of being an officer. Thornburg said, “I got to go on ride-alongs, write citations and [be on] traffic control at big events. I loved it. It was a great experience.”

Thornburg participated in the year-round program for two years. Due to a busy schedule, Thornburg momentarily put aside his duties in the explorer program and decided to focus his priorities on schoolwork.

He also assists security staff on campus with traffic control. Jared Baez, head of CAHS security, offered him a volunteer position after Thornburg told Baez about his participation in the explorer training program. “[Thornburg] has always been a helpful guy…I thinks it’s safe to say that if more kids at this high school were like him, know exactly what they want to do in the future and cared about their peers, I think it would be great’, said Baez.

Thornburg gained interest in playing classical guitar after hearing classical guitar during a trip to Spain, Thornburg received a guitar for his birthday two years ago. Since then, he has been hired to play gigs at multiple events.

Despite working multiple jobs and on-campus, Thornburg is still determined to become an officer. He’d like to stay local as an officer in San Diego if possible. This June, he plans to apply at the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. “It’s been my dream for a few years now and I want to follow it, no matter what it takes,” Thornburg said.