Slick enough to get past him? Not when it comes to him– always on the look with his eagle sight and serious facial expression. He wears a vest that carries his badge and equipment. Intimidation might be an image set on him, yet his million-dollar smile and winter sky blue eyes can always set a good mood in the room. John Pesoli, a Mexican-American police officer who serves to protect a community and school. 

Safety is something he always ensures for the people of Northlake and which he mentions saying, “I love my job.” He explains why and discloses, “I didn’t come from a family that was well off. So a lot of times there were some hardships where like electricity or gas or phones would be turned off back when we had phones in our houses. So I always knew, as a kid, I wanted to do something that I wouldn’t have to relive that kind of rough life. Just comfortably, not saying that I’m a millionaire now, but I do live comfortably.” There have been obstacles during his younger years that he has faced. However, things started looking brighter than his new badge did. His everyday life now sounds like this: “There’s four zones in Northlake. You have to patrol your zone. Make sure nothing’s going on there. Check all parks, make sure there’s no graffiti or anything like that. Then we do extra watches on certain houses. Just keep an eye on the area, and then traffic stops. You’re supposed to do at least two a day. Obviously, that’s the minimum. You want to do a little bit more than that. You come across something, and then just take your calls and whatever comes about your day. Every day could be different” Pesoli said. 

Being out on the streets requires different tasks that differ to when he’s on patrol at the West Leyden High School. He speaks on it saying, “You’re dealing with mainly juveniles every day, so crime might be a little bit different compared to on the street. Patrol, you’re going to deal with a wide range of crimes, you got domestics, retail, fast thefts, batteries, which are fights, I mean you name it. There’s so many different things you could deal with on the street, whereas here it’s mostly fights, sometimes gang activity. Lots of social media, internet crimes, that type of stuff.” Pesoli also mentions,” I’ve been in the school for eight years now, going on nine years. So I would say, probably here, just because I’ve spent so much time here. I’ve built a lot of relationships here, and I enjoy it.  Despite that, patrolling can also shift to dark times and situations. Being put in jeopardy during certain situations can be terrifying so Pesoli shares:“I want to say I was the closest to the door, because I was first on scene and I was barricading myself behind. But luckily, he came out, surrendered, handcuffed him, and then as soon as he walked in the door, there was the body. It was a pretty bloody scene. And then at that point, we don’t know if that’s the actual guy that was doing the shooting. So we had to clear that house, which was probably one of the scariest things you could do, because you don’t know who’s hiding, where, or what’s going on.” Another harmful yet thrilling situation put into practice was the famous pepper spray experience. Pesoli willingly describes, “That was god awful. It lasted for about 20 minutes. I couldn’t see, I couldn’t breathe. It was horrible. It’s pure torture. The Taser again. I volunteered for it. I was curious. That was probably the worst pain I felt, but at least it was only five seconds and then it’s over. But it felt like intense pressure, I guess you could say, felt like someone was trying to snap me in half, and then as soon as that five seconds is up, you just go back to normal. But it was very painful. But if I had to choose which one I would do again, I would definitely get tased not pepper sprayed.” 

So far, the cop lifestyle has been a roller coaster but will eventually come to an end. He speaks on his future retirement saying, “Retirement is kind of soon. I’m only 10 years away. It’s long, but it’s not that long. I don’t know what my plans are yet. There’s always these companies that are hiring retired police officers to do security or run their security. That’s always an option. I do plan on moving out of state. I’ve always wanted to go to a warmer climate, so I most likely will be gone in 10 years. I don’t really have a plan on an occupation, though I will continue to work. It’s just whatever comes my way I guess” From this point forward, Pesoli will continue to ensure the peoples safety in the Northlake community. His legacy will eventually leave an impact on those who know him and his amazing humor and magnificent smile.