Eric Lamoreaux, 35

Occupation: Sergeant, Leesburg Police Department

What I do: I supervise personnel, maintain interaction with the public and oversee patrol functions, providing oversight, guidance and structure for patrol officers. I continuously focus on setting an example that honors the agency and encourages other members of our team.

How I got started: I started a family very young. I wanted a career that would make my daughters proud of me and help me to serve a greater purpose. A close friend through my church had a conversation with me about his experience in law enforcement. After that, my pastor and I went out for lunch and discussed this life decision. By the end of the conversation, I felt that I was meant to do a job like this and to seek opportunities to have an impact on the lives of others. I joined the Leesburg Police Department in 2012.

I’m passionate about law enforcement because: Relationships. Whether it is the brotherhood created between co-workers or the bonds built with citizens who needed assistance because of their tragic experiences. You see people during some of the worst times of their lives. It can be hard, but it allows you to pour into people and have an impact on their lives.

My biggest professional accomplishment so far: There are professional steppingstones, honorary mentions, or milestones met. But I feel that my greatest achievement is the most impactful moment in my career. When I was in my second year, I responded to a well-being check. An elderly woman had lost her husband and her out-of-state relatives were concerned for her. When I met with her, she was distraught. She immediately told me about the 50 years she spent with her husband and that she didn’t know how to proceed with life on her own. She was hurting, so I sat with her for a long time. She showed me photos of her late husband and told me about meeting him when they were younger. As I got ready to leave, we discussed the tattered flag on a 20-foot pole in her front yard. She said her husband had served in the military and was always a patriot. She said he would raise and lower that flag each day. It was torn up, so I went to a local business and bought a new flag. I returned to her house, raised the flag, folded the torn flag, and gave it to her. She wrote me later saying how much it meant to spend that time together. She lives in New York now with her relatives and we still write to each other. So, I guess my greatest accomplishment would be to have not mishandled that opportunity.

When I’m not working: My wife will roll her eyes about this question because my list of hobbies is endless. If it involves woods, waters, courts or fields, I want to participate. I play any sport and I enjoy hiking, hunting, fishing, camping and biking. The list goes on, but overall, if I can go outside and try something new, I want to do it.

My first job: At 15, my first job was dishwasher at Rainbow Restaurant in Groveland. Interestingly enough, my mother worked there in the 70s and my granddaddy worked there before that. Kind of a right of passage. The restaurant is still there today!

My local mentor: I am one of the most fortunate people when it comes to examples to follow, whether professionally speaking or in my personal life. Someone that I look up to on many levels is Wayne Cockcroft. He worked in Lake County Schools for years and many people know him because he was a principal to many. He is honest and hardworking. His faith and his family are his main priorities and now in his retirement, he’s living life to the fullest. I hope to serve my family and others half as well as he has throughout his life.

The best advice I’ve received: Don’t allow missed opportunities to build up in your life. Take on as many adventures as possible, so that when you look back over your life, you don’t have to ask, ‘What if?’

Fun fact: I am a little obsessed with lineage and family history. The biggest item on my bucket list is to go to France and explore the village where my family was originally from.

If I had a million dollars to give away: Mental Health. During this career, I have attended courses on crisis intervention. I have worked cases with young people who suffer every day. I have spent time with people talking through what their real experiences are during a schizophrenic episode or suffering from bipolar. When they describe that internal battle, it makes me realize how fortunate I am and how I wish the world could be a safer place for them.

Life after 40: I will be with the Leesburg Police Department until I retire. I don’t know what my role will be, but I will serve in any way I can that benefits our community. Beyond that, I am not sure. I have a passion for training and teaching, so possibly work for some of the companies associated with law enforcement and travel around to teach other officers.