10 Pro Athletes
Who Became
Law Enforcement Officers
For professional athletes, the end of a career is commonly signified by a defining factor. Be it age or injury, a call to coaching, or simply a desire to spend more time at home with their loved ones, opening a new chapter is the next great challenge. However, there are the few who heed a very specific calling. They’re leveraging the physical training, discipline, and teamwork that fueled their athletic endeavors to better serve their communities as dedicated officers of the law. Here’s a roster breakdown of those who found a second life beyond the game.
10 | LAVERANUES COLES
NFL - Wide Receiver (2000-2010)
Jacksonville Police Department (2025-Current)
Whoever’s in charge of staffing at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office may want to seriously consider a second career as an NFL scout. Coles, a former Pro Ball Wide Receiver and BCS National Champion, recently marked the seventh former NFL player to join the Jacksonville force.
Filling out the ranks include Detective Jeff Kopp, a former NFL linebacker and former Jacksonville Jaguar, Ernest Wilford who we’ll spotlight a little further down the list.
09 | JACK TASCHNER
MLB - Pitcher (2005-2010)
Appleton Police Department (2011-Present)
Affectionally known as Tasch, the LOOGY spent a solid six-year MLB stint operating out of the bullpen for four National League teams. Desiring to be closer to his family, the Wisconsin-native returned home to Appleton to become a Police Officer and serve his community after hanging up his spikes in 2011.
08 | JUSTIN CHRISTIAN
MLB – Outfielder (2008-2012)
Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office (2016-Present)
Truth be told, a badge doesn’t look so bad next to a World Series ring. A speedy outfielder, Christian filled a vital role on the 2012 champion San Francisco Giants off the bench as a pinch runner and defensive replacement.
Though his time playing in the bay was short-lived, the region left a major impression on him, as he would later join the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s office as a Deputy Sheriff in 2016, where he still serves today.
07 | DERON QUINT
NHL – Defenseman (1995-2017)
Phoenix Police Department (2020-Present)
After a long and celebrated tenure on the ice, Quint stayed local to serve his community by starting a new career as an officer with the Phoenix Police Department in 2020 at the age of 43.
A regular on the beat, the former Coyote has turned more than a few heads policing in the city he once played in.
06 | DAN WALTERS
MLB – Catcher (1992-1993)
San Diego Police Department (1999-2003)
When they say the term “living the dream” it usually doesn’t encapsulate multiple dreams. For Dan Walters, one half of that dream was suiting up for his hometown San Diego Padres in 1992 as a 25-year-old rookie catcher.
The other half came years later, when he became Officer Dan Walters, a respected member of the SDPD. While answering a domestic violence call in 2003, Walters was injured in the line of duty resulting in him becoming paralyzed from the neck down. Despite his life-changing injury, he would routinely counsel recruits at the San Diego Police Academy and was involved with several charitable initiatives until his death in 2020.
05 | CANDACE FUTRELL
WNBA – Guard (2004)
Howard County Police Department (2014-Present)
After setting several shooting records at Duquesne University, the 5’10’' guard parlayed her skills into a successful pro career in the WNBA and overseas, playing internationally in four different countries.
Upon returning stateside, Futrell was sworn in as a police officer, serving first in Gainesville, Florida and later in Howard County, Maryland.
04 | STANLEY JEFFERSON
MLB – Outfielder (1986-1991)
New York Police Department (1997-2004)
As a former New York Yankee, Met, and officer of the NYPD, nobody is every going to ask Stanley Jefferson to prove he’s a real New Yorker. A former number one pick, Jefferson bounced around the league during a 6-year MLB career as an outfielder and DH, splitting time between both leagues.
Joining the Midtown South Precinct as an officer of the NYPD in 1997, Jefferson was amongst the first responders to report to Ground Zero during the bombing of the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001, personally witnessing the second plane hit the South Tower. The impact would leave a lasting impact on his mental and physical health.
03 | ERNEST WILFORD
NFL – Wide Receiver (2004-2010)
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (2015-Current)
Another one of the former NFL players to find themselves serving on the same Jacksonville staff, Wilford was the first notable former player to transition over to the department.
Recognized multiple times over for his community service work as an officer, Wilford has worked with his former team, the Jacksonville Jaguar, to host shopping sprees for underprivileged youth.
02 | RITA GOULET
NASCAR ARCA Menards Series – Driver (2022-Current)
Gastonia Police Department (2022-Current)
For full-time ARCA driver and Gastonia police officer Rita Goulet, her career was sparked by witnessing 9/11 as teen, which put her on a path to became a paramedic, and later a police officer in North Carolina.
As both her commitment to racing and service have evolved, Goulet has found even more ways to give back by using her platform for advocacy. Today, she honors fallen soldiers by carrying their names on the hood of her Chevrolet SS.
01 | SHAQUILLE O'NEAL
NBA – Center (1992-2011)
Henry County Police Department (2022-Current)
Shaq Diesel. Superman. The Big Aristotle. One of the NBA’s true GOATs has gone by many names over his illustrious Hall-of-Fame career, but in that time one thing has stayed the same – his appreciation and devotion to the law. Although never serving as an official law enforcement officer, O’Neal, who also hails from a military family, has completed law-enforcement training and earned certifications in multiple jurisdictions.
During his time with the Miami Heat, Shaq served as a reserve officer with the Miami Beach PD. After witnessing a hate crime in person, his quick actions in reporting the incident resulted in the arrest of two suspects.
Presently, O’Neal holds the position of Director of Community Relations for the Henry Country (GA) Sheriff’s Department. His role focuses on improving relationships between law enforcement and the community through outreach and engagement.