Inspector's Corner – My Journey to NAIC

By Ofc. Jared Koester, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, Fort Worth (Texas) Police Department; North American Inspectors Championship Jimmy K. Ammons Grand Champion

First off, I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and thank a few of the people who have helped me get to where I am today. I have worked for the Fort Worth (Texas) Police Department for a little more than seven years and in the commercial vehicle enforcement (CVE) unit for about three years. If you had told me when I first began my career in law enforcement that I would be in this position today, I would not have believed it. When I was first accepted into the CVE unit, I had no idea what I was really getting into. I don’t think I expected it to be easy, but I definitely had no idea how much work is required to be proficient in this career field as an inspector.

I received my initial training from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) CVE Training Unit in Austin, Texas. Upon returning to Fort Worth, I was very fortunate to spend the next few months being trained by one of our great longtime inspectors, Steve Reaney. Steve showed me that even after doing this job for many years, he still loved what he did, and he was never afraid to learn something new. Those few months were the beginning of the incredible eye-opening experience that was to come. Additionally, I’d like to thank my sergeant, Sgt. Reginald Traylor, the whole Fort Worth CVE unit, all my friends and co-workers from other North Texas police agencies, and the Texas DPS CVE unit. The knowledge, support and guidance provided by these people have been invaluable.

It didn’t take long for me to recognize the importance of getting to know and forming relationships with inspectors, including those from other agencies. Many of us inspectors in North Texas have great friendships inside and outside our jobs. I’m not sure that a day goes by when one of us doesn’t reach out to another looking for advice or asking an inspection question.

It was those other inspectors who encouraged me to compete in the CVE inspector challenges. I was reluctant to do so at first, but I am glad I did. At each challenge event I attended, I was always able to walk away with a list of lessons I had learned. The mistakes made during the scenarios pushed me to work harder, focus more on my areas of weakness and become a better roadside inspector. As stressful and tiring as it is, I am grateful for each person who encouraged and supported me all the way to this year’s North American Inspectors Championship (NAIC) event.

I imagine that there are other inspectors out there who are hesitant about competing in the challenge like I was. I was nervous about the scenarios, missing violations and not being knowledgeable enough to do well. It’s also a little intimidating to think about being in the same place as and competing against some of the top inspectors in the country. All that aside, I have to admit that I never regretted my decision to compete; it was always a rewarding experience. No matter how you do in the scenarios, you will learn new things, meet new friends and return home as a more knowledgeable inspector. I’d highly encourage anyone who has the opportunity to give it a shot. You’ll be glad you did.

As y’all know, this job isn’t always easy, but it can be incredibly rewarding, and we are all lucky to be a part of CVSA. Work within yourself and with the others alongside you to make the most out of every day you go out and do this job. Take care of each other, and make sure everyone goes home at the end of the day.