Police officer Ike Hammonds happy serving his hometown

Growing up in Cape Girardeau, Ike Hammonds was certain he wanted to serve his community and police the streets of his hometown. Yet, he spent 14 years as a firefighter with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department. In the late 1980s, as a reserve police officer, he finally took the opportunity to see if that was a career he wanted to pursue. In November 1992, Hammonds signed on with the department as a patrolman. Hammonds, now a corporal, works in public relations and community policing by working with CrimeStoppers lining up law enforcement for community events.

Question: Have you always been a police officer?

Answer: When I was 20, I started hearing about a job at the [Cape Girardeau] Fire Department. I didn't want to fight fire; I wanted to be a police officer. Even as a kid, I always wanted to be a police officer. But I thought, "OK, that would be exciting," because I knew I couldn't be a police officer until I was 21. I liked it, though, I really liked it. It was a pretty good challenge. You went from zero to 100 when you're sitting there in a recliner during the day or night, whichever, and all of a sudden the bell's hit and you're out there fighting a two or three "alarmer." Next thing I know, 14 years went by, but I'm still wanting to be a police officer.

Q: So, when did you join the Cape Girardeau Police Department?

A: In 1989 I took some time off from the fire department. I went to the SEMO law enforcement academy and I graduated from that academy. I still wasn't absolutely certain I wanted to be a police officer, so I became a reserve officer to kind of get a feel for it, because after 14 years ... I didn't want to make a move from [firefighting] and find out that's not what I wanted to do. I was a reserve for three years when I decided that, yeah, I want to do this job.

Q: Tell me about the difference you noticed between being a firefighter and a police officer.

A: The difference is how people look at firefighters and police officers. Everyone loves a fireman. The excitement is there, the challenge is there, for both jobs, but the way the public often times reacts to [a police officer]? There are people out there that appreciate you, but those are typically not the people that we deal with for the most part.

For firemen, it's just pretty much the opposite, the worst criminal out there doesn't have a problem with a firefighter for the most part. The other thing is it just seemed liked when you lay your head down at night, literally at the fire department, you feel pretty good about yourself.

As far as the challenge, I feel they're the same. I remember when I used go kick doors in to go inside and knock down a fire with a hose and a nozzle in my hand and then I came over here, joined the SWAT team and I'm kicking in doors and going in after bad guys with a rifle or a pistol in my hand. That rush, that excitement, it's there for both.

Q: What's it meant for you to work for the city you grew up in?

A: I think it's great. I think Cape Girardeau is a great city. Geographically, I like where it's located. [But] I can't stand the summers here. It can't get too cold for me, I detest humid, hot summers, but it's been great growing up [here].

As a police officer it got a little rough during the 1990s a little bit, especially with the Rodney King incident and the OJ Simpson trial. I heard a lot about Rodney King as a young officer starting my career, because I think that was the mid-1990s and after that decision came down I got to hearing about it, but it went away after awhile. I lost some friends, they were just more or less associates when I became a police officer. The real friends, I retained them. Things like that happen when you grow up and become a police officer in the same city.

Q: What positions have you held with the police department?

A: When you come over, everyone's hired on as a police officer in the patrol division. That's your jumping off point. From there, I went into community-oriented policing. I've been in community policing and public relations type work since I hired on or since about 1994. One of the main reasons I wanted to get on the SWAT team was I felt I lost that law enforcement side when I went into public relations, community oriented type police work. That's to me more of a nonenforcement type thing. I stayed on the SWAT team for about 15 years because I really enjoyed going after the bad guys. We were going after drug guys, we were serving high-risk search warrants, that stuff that you see on TV but you don't get to realize in a career.

Q: Do you ever find yourself getting scared?

A: I got scared as a firefighter, I get scared as a police officer. I went to the hospital with a hairline fracture and smoke inhalation as a firefighter and as a police officer, a lot of it is the same. You tell me there's a guy inside somewhere with a gun and officers have got to go in there and clear that house to make sure it's safe, someone's gotta do it. Well, as police officers, we're that someone and you go in there and you just do it. You're scared, but you're not so scared that you can't perform your job. You're just scared enough it makes you cautious and you don't do something stupid. You move cautiously.

Q: What accomplishments are you most proud of?

A: I don't know that there's one thing over the other, but the longevity, I started with the city in 1992 and I'm still here in 2010 serving the citizens. I would have liked to make the rank of sergeant before I retired out of here, but that's not going to happen. I'm cool with some of things I've accomplished to this point. I think I have a good rapport with the citizens in this city.

People will often times call me when there's issues between the law enforcement community and the citizens of Cape Girardeau because I've been here a long time. They feel like they can talk to me. That means a lot to me, having that kind of trust where they'll call me at home even.

Q: What's next in you career?

A: The end of next year, I'm maybe looking at my retirement. That's the plan, Lord willing. That's what I plan on doing. I've given this city my adult life. It's been a good job and a good career. It's allowed me to do some good things in life; I've lived a pretty good life working here.

ehevern@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent Address:

40 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, MO