It was Lance May’s first solo patrol: fresh out of his five month field training program with the North Las Vegas Police Department. May cautiously walked from his cruiser to the vehicle he had pulled over. The car matched the description of a possible armed robbery suspect.

When he was close enough to see the suspect in the rear view mirror his heart thumped and his muscles locked into place as the suspicious vehicle’s wheels started tearing up the gravel on the road’s shoulder.

Rushing to his police cruiser, May called back to dispatch. Within a short time the suspect was in a television-worthy police chase until May and another officer forced the suspect off the road. This time for good.

“Turned out the guy was the robber and he did have a gun,” said May, a former Marine Corps staff sergeant. “That was my first call on my own and it was a little nerve-wracking. But my combat experience in the Marine Corps taught me to keep calm and get the job done.”

On the Job
An Iraq veteran, May uses the skills and discipline that kept him alive through three tours forward deployed to keep the streets of North Las Vegas safe. North Las Vegas spans the 82 square miles, and has a population of just over 200,000, just north of its legendary sister city.

May, 31, works Wednesday through Saturday from 1400 to 2400. He normally arrives at the precinct at 1300 to organize his gear and attend roll call and police briefings. On patrol, May responds to calls from dispatch and remains a security presence in the community. He returns to the precinct at 2300 to fill out reports before going home.

“I mainly respond to domestic disputes and disturbances,” he said, “but you never know what might happen during a shift. That’s one thing I really love about this job. There are also a lot of similarities with the military. You have to follow established structure and ranks, but at the same time, you’re an independent operator out on the street. You have to use good common sense and judgment.”

A Call for Military Veterans
The North Las Vegas Police Department has five commands divided into 24 divisions. It’s staffed by 259 civilian personnel and 446 police officers. New recruits attend a six-month academy where they learn criminal law, firearms, arrest and control techniques, vehicle operations, community relations, and traffic enforcement, to name a few. After completing the academy, new officers undergo a five-month field training program partnering with senior officers.

The starting salary varies from $54,684 to $81,123. Officers who can speak Spanish are given an additional $750 each year. Other benefits include full health care, a retirement pension, tuition assistance, and a comprehensive life insurance plan.

“We like to bring on military veterans because they are disciplined, physically fit, and socially responsible,” said Chrissie Coon, a recruitment officer for the department. “About 49 percent of our last two graduating academy classes are made up of military veterans.”

In Uniform
Wanting to serve his country, and seeking a personal challenge, May enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1995. He attended basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and infantry school at nearby Camp Pendleton. He left the military in 2000, working for a couple of years at a federal prison in Louisiana.

“Then 9/11 hit and I knew I had training that could be of value to my country,” said May. “So I went back into the Marine Corps in 2003.”

May served three deployments in Iraq, in Al Najf and the Al Anbar Province: as a scout sniper, a platoon leader conducting surveillance and reconnaissance, and a platoon sergeant serving as liaison between his battalion and four squads of Marines.

After returning to the U.S. in 2007, May felt he fulfilled his duty to his country and left the Marine Corps for good.

The Transition
“I knew I wanted to get into law enforcement,” he said. “I also knew a lot of police departments had a good percentage of military veterans, so it seemed like a good transition. My wife’s family is from Las Vegas, and they sent me an e-mail that North Las Vegas was hiring. I saw a good opportunity and decided to apply.

“The academy was pretty easy from a physical fitness standpoint, but the academics were tough,” he continued. “You study all the time. But it was still very rewarding and I’m glad I did it. The North Las Vegas Police Department is a great place to work, and I really enjoy being able to make a difference in the community.”

May’s Advice:
Save your money. “You want to be financially stable when you get out of the military, in case there’s a gap between your separation date and when you start your new career.”

Adapt and overcome. “Keep a positive attitude in your job search and be flexible with your work schedule. Some jobs aren’t a regular 9-to-5.”

Don’t intimidate the civilians. “Many of them haven’t seen or experienced the same things you have, especially if you’ve been in combat. You have to learn to interact with civilians effectively.”