While serving as a sergeant in the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) at a police agency in Southern California, I was assigned to the extradition of an individual I’ll call Scott, someone I genuinely disliked. Scott was a career criminal with a long history of incarceration. He was in custody in Newport, Oregon, on one of our arrest warrants, facing a drug trafficking charge involving a couple of ounces of methamphetamine.
Initially, I was surprised my division commander approved the extradition, considering the relatively small amount of drugs involved. Frankly, I didn’t want to go. I felt the case wasn’t worth the expense. My reasoning was that he’d inevitably return to Southern California and be picked up on the warrant eventually. Plus, the thought of spending hours in a car and on a plane with him wasn’t my idea of a good day. It seemed like a lot of effort for a case that didn’t warrant it.
Nevertheless, my commander’s decision was final, so my partner and I traveled to Oregon to retrieve Scott and bring him back to Orange County, California. Looking back, I realize it was a divine appointment, though I didn’t recognize it at the time.
During the pickup in Oregon, I felt a strong prompting from God to share the good news of Christ with Scott. We were going to be together for a significant part of the day, so it seemed like an opportunity to talk about something meaningful. However, I resisted. I didn’t want to engage with Scott on a personal level. I tried to rationalize that he was a lost cause and wouldn’t respond to God’s calling. God gently reminded me that Scott was just as valuable in His eyes as I was, urging me to proceed. I stalled, hoping God would change His mind – a ridiculous notion, I know.
Finally, the conviction became so strong that I knew I had to obey. After a silent confession of pride and arrogance, I initiated a conversation with Scott, starting by asking him about his thoughts on God. I honestly thought that would end the conversation quickly. I assumed mentioning “God” would be a conversation killer, allowing me to claim obedience while avoiding any real engagement.
However, mentioning God sparked a transformation in Scott. He became animated, sharing memories of attending church as a child. As he grew older, he experimented with drugs, which led to theft and other problems. His life spiraled out of control, resulting in a cycle of incarceration. He believed he had “accepted Christ as his Savior” as a child, but his lifestyle didn’t reflect that faith.
Our conversation began in the car during the two-hour drive to the airport and continued on the plane. About an hour into the flight, I awkwardly asked Scott if he wanted to pray, and to my surprise, he said yes. I prayed with Scott, a man loved by God just as I am, and a man in need of God’s grace, just as I am.
I had a friend who volunteered as a chaplain at the Orange County Jail. After booking Scott, I arranged for the chaplain to contact him for discipleship during his incarceration, which he did. I had a standing joke with my chaplain friend: “I’ll catch ‘em, and you clean ‘em.” He was a dedicated man who loved ministering to inmates.
Scott expressed his intention to return to Oregon after his release to avoid negative influences. I pray he followed through, as I never heard from him again.
Jesus spoke of His oneness with the Father and prayed for believers to be united as one, just as He is one with the Father. “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:20-21).
— Jim McNeff is the founder of Badge 145 and managing editor of Law Officer.
Author’s Note: This story originally published in The Spirit Behind Badge 145. Other books of interest include Jurisdiction and Justice Revealed.