Det. Andy Pinvidic
Auto Theft Detective
Westminster Police Department
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
As a teenager, I was a high school dropout.
When I was 18, I did a ride-along with a cop and knew that was what I wanted to do with my life.
I had a few years to kill before I turned 21, so I joined the Marines. Best decision I ever made.
My recruiter told me to go back to school and finish up my diploma before I started my service.
I spent 8 years as an MP at Camp Pendleton; it was great preparation for becoming a police officer.
Came home, completed my AA, bachelor's, and recently, master's degree; started working on the force.
On a personal note, becoming a father was the biggest highlight of my life; it gave me purpose.
Recently, I decided to say "yes" to more opportunities, even if they take me out of my comfort zone.
Education
High School
Associate's Degree
Coastline Community College
Coastline Community College
Career
Auto Theft Detective
I handle all investigations that relate to vehicle theft and vehicle burglary in Westminster.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Armed Services
Government
Helping People
Day to Day
If there's somebody that I've identified as a prolific car thief, a great day would involve me and my partners locating and arresting them, and then hopefully obtaining some kind of confession or statement that's going to help the prosecution hold this person accountable for their crimes. I also really enjoy the excitement of putting together the operations that catch these criminals, which we usually set up by studying their habits and using bait cars to sting them.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
You pretty much have to have a college education to be considered in the police force because it's so competitive now. You don't necessarily need a criminal justice degree, but any degree is better than none. Aside from that, your first step should be doing your research and finding out what the job is really about. That can mean volunteering at your local police department, going on ride-alongs, etc. It's not the job that you see on TV, so get in there and see if it's right for you.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Associate's Degree
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Myself:
"I can't succeed at this."
