Feel Good Friday: The Power of Perseverance

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Toledo police officer Terrell Batson was born in the Glass City, and he always knew this would remain his home.

“I’ve always wanted to be a Toledo cop. I didn’t wanna be a police officer anywhere else,” he said.

The Start High School grad says that dream took root at a young age, recalling how he admired the way his school resource officer carried himself.

“To me, police officers were like my super heroes,” he explained. “I wanted to get out and make Toledo a safer place, for my family, for my friends.”

The road to becoming a TPD officer, however, took some literal sweat and tears. In 2015, at the age of 21, Ofc. Batson - working in mall security at the time - took the test to join the police academy.

“I took the civil service test, passed,” he paused. “Took the physical fitness test, didn’t pass.”

Though he was disappointed, he knew he needed to work harder. Three years later, tried again.

“Passed the civil service test, failed the fitness test again,” he recalled, shaking his head. “The pushups and situps, I was always good! It was always the run.”

By that point, he was working as a corrections officer at the Lucas County jail. He seriously considered giving up his quest to join TPD, but knew he wasn’t ready to let go of that dream.

“Gave it one more shot, in 2021,” he said. “Finally got in better shape ... and once I passed the fitness test, I knew I was gonna get into the next academy.”

That, he did. And now he uses his own experience to teach his kids about the power of perseverance.

“I always tell my kids, whatever job you wanna do in life, you can absolutely do it,” he said with a smile. The sky’s the limit.”

If you have an idea to submit for “Feel Good Friday with Sashem Brey,” click here.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please include the title when you click here to report it.

Copyright 2023 WTVG. All rights reserved.