There are two things on which Crawfordsville Police Department Patrolman Steven Masters focuses: His family and his community.
And the two are often one in the same. Masters said he can serve his wife and two young children best by bettering the community in which they live.
“I feel like that’s important. I think it just shows your perspective a little bit,” he said. “[Living here] pushes me to work a little harder, because I know I’m making the place where my children live just a little safer.”
However, what doesn’t help Masters with making his children the top priority is the fact “they know it,” he joked.
Though Masters and his family live in Crawfordsville, the city has become his adopted home, calling it a perfectly sized town. Originally from the small town of Wheatfield in northern Indiana, Masters graduated from West Central High School in Francisville in 2012.
Upon graduation, Masters attended Manchester University. After receiving his degree, he then saw an opening for new officers at CPD and decided to try his luck, seeing it as an ideal situation for his budding family.
“It’s not too small, but it’s not too big. It’s like the perfect size. Indianapolis — no thank you,” he said.
Masters’ small-town roots also hold the answer to why he wanted to become a police officer.
“My uncle was a cop. I really looked up to him,” he said. “I just really like to help people. I can’t think of a specific moment that would make me want to do this job. I just really want to help.”
Some of Masters’ favorite things about his career is connecting with the people, he said. He even enjoys connecting with citizens in some surprising ways. As an ARIDE officer (Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement), he finds the opportunity to connect with citizens through on-site interviews, always looking to help the individual, as well as keep the city safe.
“I like to stop the trafficking of drugs, and possibly stolen guns, stolen items ... that’s something I’m really in to,” he said. “I really like to do highway interdiction.”
Asked what a typical day in the life of an officer looks like in Crawfordsville, Masters said an one’s day is never set in stone.
“Is there really an average day? There really isn’t,” he said. “That’s part of why I love this job, because it’s different everyday. There’s no standard day.
“I think we have a really good community. A supportive community,” he added. “We have it a lot better than some other places. It’s nice to see people that actually support us. You see the negative everyday when, really, I think the positive outweighs the negative.”
When off the clock, Masters enjoys spending time with his family and friends, hunting and exercising. He’s also an avid sports fan, cheering on the Indiana Hoosiers whenever he can.
Masters also said he finds inspiration in the work of his police officer uncle, Mark Hoffman, and former Navy Seals like David Goggins and Jocko Willink, all of whom have taught Masters the importance of self discipline.
But no matter where he gets his inspiration, he said it’s all about that top priority.
