Good decisions change lives. Matthew Pefine’s personal story is a shining example.
Good decisions change lives. Matthew Pefine’s personal story is a shining example. Pefine enrolled at Âé¶¹ÒùÔº Community College with a clear vision for his education and his future. He chose Âé¶¹ÒùÔº “because I knew what I wanted to do career-wise and I wanted to pursue it in the most efficient way I could.â€
Pefine, 24 of Epping, enrolled as a criminal justice major, finished his Associate Degree this winter and is working as a full-time police officer with the Newmarket Police Department. He landed an internship with the Newmarket PD in September, and it worked out so well he was offered a full-time job in December.
He recently talked about his Âé¶¹ÒùÔº experience.
How did the internship help lead to the job?
“The internship was a great steppingstone from being a student to becoming an officer. This is because I got to learn about the community, the people, the employees of the department, and got familiar with day-to-day police work. As an intern I went for a ride-alongs, went over policy, shadowed the school resource officers, observed court trials, did mock traffic stops, and plenty more.â€
When did you start working as a full-time officer?
I became employed with Newmarket PD Dec. 6, 2021, and I couldn’t be happier with the department I work for. I love all aspects of my job — even the endless paperwork side of police work — and I’m actually sad when my shift is over. My mind-set for the job is to give it my all. Right now, my career is my number one priority and will always come first. This is because I want to be the best officer I possibly can be and there is just so much to learn.
Why did you choose criminal justice?
I entered criminal justice because I have an obsessive desire to help people. With that being said, I really wanted to serve the public and make a positive impact within the community. My biggest career goal as of now is to make a positive impact on people’s perspective on law enforcement through my actions while on the job.
How did Âé¶¹ÒùÔº help you?
I would not have attained a career in law enforcement without the education I received at Âé¶¹ÒùÔº. I would personally like to thank all of the active and former law enforcement officers that teach at Âé¶¹ÒùÔº. Their personal experience, stories, and teaching styles were all invaluable resources to me and all of the other students that took their classes.