It’s often said that officers serving in law enforcement are, “brothers in blue.” For the Daniels family, that meaning goes even deeper as Lieutenant Chadra Daniels and Officer Chance Daniels, a mother and son, both serve Hattiesburg Police Department. Lt. Daniels serves as a detective for the department, and Officer Daniels serves in the patrol division.
Lt. Daniels began her career in law enforcement in Tennessee 25 years ago and has served in Hattiesburg for the last 11 years. She says serving her community gives her the opportunity to share her time, resources and skills she has gained throughout her career to help the people within the community on a daily basis. Little did she know, the impact of her service wasn’t exclusive to the people she helped. Her son decided to follow in her footsteps to serve his community, too.
“How do you describe proud and scared in the same moment?” asked Lt. Daniels. “I was proud that I felt that I’d done something positive as a leader- as a mother in his life to make him want to choose a career that would put him [in a position to] make a positive impact on his community, as a leader. At the same time, it’s also scary. Law enforcement has changed, but at the end of the day, I know he’s going to be trained properly and is going to be amazing.”
Officer Daniels is in his second year of service with Hattiesburg Police Department after completing the academy.
“It’s essentially family business to me,” said Officer Daniels. “I’ve had my mother, aunts, uncles and so many other family members do it, so I’ve always had that drive to want to join. It’s definitely a different experience from a regular job. The interesting part is going through so many things in a day, and the next morning wanting to go right back and do it all again. That’s how I know I’m in the right place.”
If you or someone you know is interested in a career in law enforcement, applications are currently being accepted for the police academy and can be submitted online at hburgacademy.com.
