Bernie Chism was looking for a stable job with good benefits when he put himself through the law enforcement training academy 27 years ago.

Now, he realizes he found a fulfilling career helping people. He likes working in a place where people wave at cops with all their fingers, most of the time, and sometimes even say, “thanks for being out here,” when he pulls them over for speeding. It’s a job where he does something a little different every day, where it’s never boring...