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Brock Ajuwon, a law enforcement student at NHCC, is wrapping up his time on-campus and celebrating a major achievement—landing a high-paying, career launching job as a Police Cadet while still in school! Even more exciting, the Brooklyn Park Police Department will be covering the rest of his college expenses, setting him up on a worry-free path to graduation.  

For Brock, securing the cadet position wasn’t just a career milestone—it came with a life-changing financial benefit. “It helps out a lot!” he said enthusiastically. “I’m living here on my own. My roommates are fantastic—I couldn’t get along with them any more than I already do. But having them pay for my schooling definitely takes that layer of financial strain off my mind, because now I can just focus on my grades and what I need to do in school.”

How It All Started

Before landing on law enforcement, Brock’s educational path took a few twists and turns. Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, Brock started college studying and working in computer science. He mentioned, “I did a year of college out there, but then changed course. I figured that I wanted to move and start my life where most of my family was, here in Minnesota.”

Fast forward a few years, Brock’s coworker tells him about NHCC; and he knew right away that he wanted to study law enforcement. Later on, that same coworker encouraged him to apply for a student worker job in the Public Safety department. Brock recalled, “I didn’t realize there were public safety positions open at the time, so I’m grateful she told me.”

From Taco Bell to the Brooklyn Park Police Cadet Program

Brock’s initial path into law enforcement started with a chance encounter in an unexpected place —the drive-thru of a Taco Bell, where he worked as an assistant general manager.

Brock laughed, “It’s kind of funny you brought that up, I had a notebook I used to write in back then. I was going through life stuff at the time that made me want a change in career paths.”

One night, a police officer pulled up to place an order, and Brock used the opportunity to ask for advice. “At first, I thought I wanted to be a detective. So, I asked him, ‘Hey, what are the steps I should take if I want to make that happen?’” The first piece of advice from the officer? “Go to school.” The officer told Brock to consider the Brooklyn Park Police Cadet program as a steppingstone to gain experience in the field. He also gave him contact information of a department inspector who could provide more details.

Inspired by the conversation, Brock took action, explaining, “When I reached out to the inspector, she gave me more information about the cadet program and an outline of what I would need to do to join it.” Brock used the guidance he was given and set goals for himself.

On-Campus Jobs Open the Doors to Even Bigger Opportunities

As a student worker in the Public Safety department, Brock got to work alongside experienced professionals who all contributed to his growing passion within the field. “Everybody in my department has been super nice,” he said. “They’ve all been really, really good to me, which has just made me even more interested in law enforcement, to be honest.”      

At one point Brock thought he wanted to be a detective, but after getting hands-on experience with Public Safety his perspective shifted. “I got interested in being a patrol officer with the department when I realized how much I like working with people.”

When asked if he still wanted to work as a detective Brock said, “I don’t think I do anymore.” He shared, “That’s mainly because I want to be more physically present. After working in this job, I realized that I like talking to people. I like walking around the halls, having those small talk interactions, and showing a Public Safety presence—it feels good! This job has made me the most mentally happy I’ve been in a while. And I think that’s because of the social aspect of it.”

Landing The Cadet Position

For Brock, becoming a cadet did not become a cadet overnight—it was a two-year process filled with various personal and logistical challenges, not to mention difficult exams, too. Initially, Brock’s parents weren’t sure about his decision to go into law enforcement. “Prior to this semester, I was having a little bit of trouble, mainly because my parents didn’t really agree with my studying law enforcement.” Brock added, “I’m an only child, and my parents still live in Las Vegas. I’m out here by myself, and I didn’t want to put them through that stress. So, I backed out of the program last year.” Landing the job with the police department helped change the perspective of Brock’s parents. “Now that I got this new job, they’ve been more accepting. I was also able to visit my parents and have conversations with them, which helped.” But the timing wasn’t in his favor. “With the cadet program, you can’t just apply whenever you want,” Brock explained. “The application is only open for a certain period of time, and I had to wait to reapply.”

It is important to note that this cadet program is highly selective, and requires applicants to take a background test, along with rigorous psychological and physical evaluations. The extensive screening process is an early step in what will hopefully be a long and rewarding law enforcement career. Since the program is designed to transition cadets into full-time police officers, they try to get all the major tests out of the way early. During Brock’s psych evaluation, he met others who were also joining the field, including firefighters, volunteers, and fellow cadets, making him excited to join the group.

When asked about the psych evaluation, Brock commented, “It was a lot, and we were there for a few hours.” The test is elaborate, consisting of around 1,000 questions and written responses. Many of the questions are aimed at gauging truthfulness and self-awareness. Brock remembers being asked questions such as, “Have you ever done any sort of drugs before? What is your relationship with your parents like?” and “Have you ever stolen anything?” Although these questions seem personal, they are important. Brock added, “They’re trying to figure out what your personal relationships are like, how you grew up, and if you’re able to mend bad relationships.” Overall, the evaluation helps determine how well a candidate handles high-stress situations, conflict, and emotional distress, which are very important factors to consider in this line of work.

In September of 2024, Brock finally submitted his application. The process moved quickly, and after a few rounds of interviews, they came back with a conditional job offer in October. From there, it was a whirlwind of final steps: the psychological evaluation, a physical exam, and another background check. “It all took about two and a half months,” Brock said. “But I found out in early January that I got the cadet position!”

Taking the Next Steps: Advanced Training and Working as a Cadet

One of the most exciting aspects of Brock landing a role as a part-time police cadet, is that the Brooklyn Park Police Department will be paying for the rest of his education. After graduating from NHCC this summer with his associate degree, Brock will transfer to Hennepin Technical College. There he’ll get specialized law enforcement training and hands-on experience in key areas such as: emergency driving, firearms training, and tactical maneuvers. The financial support not only saves him a significant amount of money but also gives Brock peace of mind going into his career. “It’s definitely reassuring to think that they’re giving not just me, but other people that are interested in law enforcement, a chance like that.”

Now that Brock has officially secured his cadet position with the Brooklyn Park Police Department, he can fully take advantage of this opportunity; that offers him a high-paying salary, hands-on experience, tuition coverage for the rest of his college education and possibly best of all, a direct pathway into law enforcement!

The benefits don’t stop there either! Starting salaries for cadets are very impressive, Brock mentions, “The money wasn't always a big thing for me, but if I were to say, ‘Oh, I didn’t care about the money,’ I’d be lying. It definitely helps and it’s one less thing on my mind! I’m starting off at a pretty good amount of money as a cadet, and that’s only going to go up as I get promoted to an officer.”

Brock wanted to add that the current hiring landscape for law enforcement is shifting. “The thing about law enforcement right now, given the current political circumstances, is that nobody wants to work in law enforcement,” he shares. “They are really looking for people—good people—to help them build a team from the ground up, per se. And because of this fact, the pay that they’re offering is very, very competitive.”

Now that he has some real-world experience under his belt, Brock has advice he wants to share for students who are considering a career in law enforcement. “The biggest advice I can give is take the time to become personable with the people around you and open yourself up to different personalities,” he added. “In law enforcement, that’s a majority of the job. You’re there to take care of people. So, being approachable and being a friendly face that people are comfortable talking to will make your life a lot easier.” Brock’s final piece of advice? “I would encourage people interested in local law enforcement to do their research and look into what department they want to go to. A lot of departments are different with their policies. For example, the way Minneapolis treats their cadets is different from the way Brooklyn Park might treat theirs, and vice versa.”

College Reflections and the NHCC Experience

One aspect of NHCC that Brock enjoyed the most is the people. “Literally, the people and the culture here,” he said without hesitation. “A lot of the professors are really nice, as well. I'm in the Environmental Club here on-campus. Joel Jensen runs the club (he is my ethics instructor, too), and he's absolutely phenomenal. He's just one of those little things I look forward to during the week, whether it's class, or whether it's the Environmental Club. Same with Aspen Chen. He was my juvenile justice, criminal justice and intro to sociology instructor, and I just had nothing but great interactions with him. When I was having trouble with my parents and trying to get them on board with the whole law enforcement thing, I’d get coffee with him to talk about options, and it helped me out a lot. I didn't realize how nice a lot of the people are at NHCC. That really makes it so much better. NHCC is a lot more engaging than the other schools that I’ve been to.”

When asked, ‘In general, why would you say that going to college is important?’ Brock emphasized that college is more than academics. “Not just for education, but for the social aspects,” he reasoned. “Being an only child, I had a lot of time for myself, and I didn't want to go to college. Right now, I’m 26. When I first started college, I was 18, or 19, and I just didn't want to be there. I just wanted to be there to get a degree and call it good. I didn’t think about all the other things that college provided.” Brock continued, “After going here for two years, I've realized that the social aspect of college helped me grow as a person and helped me meet a lot of people that I wouldn't have met outside of college. It's an experience that you can't get anywhere else. And yeah, it's hard. You're going to have tests and classes and things that you want to pass and excel in. But you’re making connections with others, and you have people with you that are going through the same things that you are.” For Brock, college became a place of growth, friendship, and unexpected opportunities. “An important part of the college experience is having a place where you can just sit there and bond with people and have a good time and create all-new experiences,” he shares. “I would recommend college just for the life aspect of it. You never know who you’ll meet, or how these experiences could impact your life!”

Brock’s story proves the power of persistence, self-discovery, and seizing the opportunities in life as they come. His journey—from a conversation in a Taco Bell drive-thru, to landing a prestigious cadet position covering college expenses—shows that life-changing success is always possible. Brock’s dedication and passion for law enforcement will undoubtedly lead him into a meaningful career, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact he’ll make in his community.