"Real Life of Chicago Police Officer" Full podcast interview w/ Luis Varela

Luis Varela had a 31 year career as a Chicago Police Officer. He also served a total off 33 years between the Marines and Army Reserves were he served as a drill instructor. He grew up in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago. He grew up in an era of the late sixties and early seventy's were there was a greater racial divide within the communities of Chicago. Growing up he begins to see some of his friends heading down the wrong path and the consequences they begin to experience because of the wrong choices they are making. A neighbor introduces him to the neighborhood Boys & Girls club were he encounters mentors who begin to help and encourage him in many ways. Being bullied most of his young life he is drawn into sports like boxing and swimming there at the club. There he meets and sees a young Marine in full uniform and at the moment he says, "this is what a real Man looks like." He joins the Marines right after high school. He is home on leave one summer night sitting right in front of his parents home when all of a sudden he hears a woman start screaming right across the street. Her purse has just been stolen and the perpetrator is running away. Luis takes off after that man, catches him and ends up returning the purse to the woman. She is crying and so happy to have here purse back. This ends up becoming a decisive moment in his life were he acknowledges that he likes how this feels. To be able to help and protect his community. But being a police officer takes a toll on those who encounter all types of crimes and violence on a regular basis here in the city of Chicago. Many people don't know this but police officers have one of the highest rates of divorce and suicide in the country. Tune in to hear this real life story of a Chicago Police officer.
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[@charlieramz3126]

Thank you to this man for sharing his story. I grew up on the opposite side of the law BUT felt so many of the same pains and emotions as he did. I sat in the cells for years, broken, thirsty to listen to someone like him speak. This is very filling of the soul.

[@wrongtostrongchicagopodcast]

Thanks for sharing and for listening in. Luis gets real and honest about a lot of the issues he went thru in life, personally & professionally.