歪歪漫画

BEMIDJI 鈥� It鈥檚 been a busy year for Ryan Damitio.

In addition to his role as the Bemidji State football team鈥檚 long snapper, Damitio was awarded a new title at Bemidji City Hall Monday evening. He was sworn in as a reserve officer for the Bemidji Police Department.

鈥淚鈥檓 really excited to get started with Bemidji PD,鈥� Damitio said. 鈥淚 care a lot about people and I want to do something for the community. 鈥� I want people to feel safe. I want parents to feel safe and bring their kids to school every day. I want all these people to feel safe, and that鈥檚 really why I chose to do this.鈥�

Law enforcement wasn鈥檛 always on Damitio鈥檚 radar. However, after spending the past year working at the juvenile center 鈥� while juggling football and college 鈥� he felt drawn to the profession.

鈥�(I) fell in love a little more with law enforcement, mainly because I want to serve and protect the community that I live in,鈥� Damitio said. 鈥淥nce football season is over, I鈥檒l work as much as I want to get that experience, and be able to go home and feel like I did something for somebody.鈥�

Alex Faber / Bemidji Pioneer

As a reserve officer, Damitio will gather plenty of essential field experience that should help boost his future prospects of becoming a full-time officer.

鈥淭here's only so much you can learn in the classroom,鈥� Damitio said. 鈥淏eing in the field and actually doing it with sworn-in officers, it鈥檚 completely different. That鈥檚 why I really love doing this.鈥�

Damitio is hoping to stick around the area down the line, serving as a police officer for either the city of Bemidji or Beltrami County.

In his role in the reserves, Damitio hopes to start laying the groundwork of familiarity with members of the community, creating a level of comfort before he joins the ranks as a police officer.

鈥淭he primary thing is just getting your face out in the community, letting people know you鈥檙e there and you鈥檙e there to help them,鈥� Damitio said. 鈥淥nce it gets to that point where I can become a police officer, then people already know me and they know my face and they won鈥檛 be scared to call for help. That鈥檚 the biggest thing, you want people to call you for help.鈥�

When Damitio was sworn in Monday at a Bemidji City Council meeting, he was joined by friends, roommates and family.

For some, it was quite the drive. His father, sister and niece drove up all the way from Ohio to watch the swearing-in ceremony.

鈥淚t meant a lot to me,鈥� Damitio said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 get to see them often. I work full time up here, I鈥檓 in football, I鈥檓 in college, so just having them up here is very special.鈥�

College

Ryan Damitio played for a bigger purpose in Bemidji State鈥檚 upset tournament win

Ryan Damitio had never played college football in front of his dad, Greg, until last Saturday. When they found out the Beavers were playoff bound, Greg drove 21 hours to reunite with his son.

Dec 31, 1969

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By  Jared Rubado