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By Lt. Matt Karges
Steven Thomas puts it simply: “Sergeants run agencies.” After more than four decades in law enforcement, in California and Florida, he has earned the perspective behind that statement.
Thomas began his career in 1978 as a Riverside County deputy before joining the Hemet Police Department. The profession he entered looked very different. Popular shows like Adam-12 and Dragnet helped spark his interest, portraying officers doing honest work. At the same time, the culture inside agencies reflected the era. Thomas recalls a chief publicly stating he would never hire a woman as an officer. Today, that mindset has been replaced by reality, with women proving themselves as leaders at every level of policing.
A ride-along during a high school civics class set Thomas on his path. Watching deputies work, he had a realization that still resonates: “You get paid to do this?” That moment led him to join the Law Enforcement Explorers, then work as a sheriff’s aide before becoming a deputy. The path is still familiar today, though not always as accessible.
Early lessons about culture came quickly. Like many officers, Thomas saw the divide between line staff and administration. Locker rooms funded by police associations were seen as a safeguard from “the brass.” Decades later, that tension still exists in many agencies. What has not changed is the core of the job. Officers still take a car, check their gear and answer calls, just as they have for generations.
Moments that shape a career
Certain incidents define how officers see the job. For Thomas, one of those moments came in 1980 during the aftermath of the Norco bank robbery. While other deputies pursued suspects, he handled calls in surrounding areas, keeping service going. The incident left deputies dead and wounded, equipment destroyed and agencies forced to reassess how they respond to major events.
From that night came changes in incident command and equipment. It reinforced a lesson Thomas carried throughout his career: “You don’t do the job alone.” Leadership decisions, he learned, directly impact what happens on the street when it matters most.
Policing itself evolved. Early in his career, officers were expected to maintain a strict appearance, including wearing hats whenever outside their vehicles. Tools changed as well. The traditional nightstick gave way to expandable batons and later to conducted energy weapons. Alongside these shifts came a broader change in mindset, including greater emphasis on communication and de-escalation.
Answering the call twice
About 10 years into his career, Thomas left policing for a civilian leadership role in a hospital. Like many officers who step away, he wondered if life outside law enforcement would offer something more. The answer came quickly. Watching patrol cars respond to a call, he realized the job still had a hold on him: “If your heart is under the badge, it never really leaves.”
He returned to Hemet PD and stayed until retiring in 1997.
Retirement did not last. After moving to Florida, he took a civilian role with Altamonte Springs PD before once again feeling the pull back to policing. In 2000, he joined the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
His second career highlighted differences between agencies and regions. In Florida, he found newer equipment, less violent conditions and a stronger emphasis on incident management. Those differences reinforced how leadership, resources and training shape outcomes for officers in the field.
Leading through training and preparation
Thomas spent much of his California career as a field training officer, helping build and supervise the program. In Florida, that experience led him into the Homeland Security Section, where he worked across multiple units focused on prevention, infrastructure protection and emergency management.
He also played a key role in training and deploying critical incident management teams and working with regional and state partners. That work extended to partnerships with organizations like Walt Disney World, where the mission of “protecting the magic” reflected a high standard of preparedness and professionalism.
One of his most significant contributions was helping implement the original Orange County Command School. The program brought leaders together to plan for large-scale incidents. Though it was later discontinued, it returned after tragedy underscored the need for coordinated leadership training. Like many things in policing, the lesson had to be relearned.
Throughout his career, Thomas remained committed to training. He takes pride in developing officers who went on to become leaders, including helping mentor Hemet PD’s first female officer, who later became the department’s first female chief.
What never changed
Despite decades of change, one thing remained constant. “The brotherhood and sisterhood. The unspoken connection between cops. The ten codes may be different, but the relationship never wavers. We are always there for each other, even when we disagree.”
Policies evolve. Equipment improves. Communities change. But the bond between officers endures, regardless of geography or generation.
Advice from experience
Thomas offers straightforward guidance shaped by experience. “Never take yourself too seriously,” he says. “Not everyone will make rank, even the good ones.”
Just as important is life outside the job. “Cherish your significant other. Never take them for granted. Make time for your family and friends. Never give up.”
For Thomas, that balance is just as critical as any tactical skill or leadership lesson.
About the author
Matt Karges is a lieutenant with the Evansville Police Department in Indiana, serving a city of approximately 118,000 residents. A fourth-generation law enforcement officer in the same department, he follows a family legacy that began with his great-grandfather in 1942.
Karges began his career as a county jailer before joining the Evansville Police Department, where he has served for more than 15 years. Over the course of his career, he has held a wide range of assignments, including field training officer, parks patrol liaison, patrol sergeant, grants coordinator and patrol shift lieutenant. He is currently assigned to special operations, where he helps oversee citywide special operations and security event planning. He also serves as Parks Unit commander, leading patrol response and specialized officers responsible for more than 40 city parks.
In addition to his operational roles, Karges has worked with state legislators to help pass two Indiana laws aimed at strengthening penalties for resisting law enforcement and for violating protective orders in domestic violence cases.
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