Dillon Kinard has been in law enforcement just shy of three years, and in those three years, he said he has enjoyed serving his community.

Kindard said God led him to law enforcement a few years ago. He said it was not his original career plan, but he felt the desire to serve and shed a positive light on the career.

“I just have that desire to serve,” he said. “God put it on my heart to serve.”

According to Kinard, one of the hardest parts of his job is having to charge people with heinous crimes.

“You want the best, and you don’t want to see bad things happen to people, but at the same time if they are out there doing this stuff then, there has to be some type of consequence for them,” he said.

A Selma native, Kinard said after working away in other places, he eventually found his way back home. Kindard currently serves as a Sheriff’s deputy in the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, and has been there for the last six months.

“I started in Montgomery, and worked in the city for two years,” he said. “Then, I came back home.”

Having a close-knit work family is important to Kinard and he said it is one of the best parts about working in the local sheriff’s department.

“I work with great people. It’s like a family,” he said. “When you can work with great people, and feel comfortable, then you’re able to do more work.”

Not only does Kinard enjoy being with his work family, he also enjoys spending quality time with his wife and s6-month old son.

Kindard said after everything is said and done, if he has completed his job to the best of his abilities then he has done what he was called to do.

“The most rewarding part is knowing that I’ve done my job,” he said. “I may not know the outcome of it, but just knowing I’ve done it and I was able to help and serve in some type of way is good for me.”

Kinard said he just wants people to know that law enforcement employees are people as well, and just because they have a badge and a gun it doesn’t define who they are. He said they have a heart too.