• Name: Jon Reed
• Title: K-9 Officer
• Years with SPD: 7

Q: What inspired you to become a police officer?

I became a police officer because I wanted to make a positive difference in the community I grew up in. I saw all of the growth and changes in the Verde Valley and Sedona, as well as the increase in drugs, DUIs, domestic violence, thefts, etc. I wanted to have an impact in keeping Sedona safe.

By being a K-9 officer and SWAT officer I get to focus on the more serious offenders that pose a risk to the public and other officers.

Q: Do you have any prior public safety experience?

No, I was a journeyman electrician for 12 years in Sedona working on custom homes.

Q: What was it about Sedona Police Department that made you apply?

I wanted to work in my own community, which I care about and have an intimate knowledge of what is normal and what is not, which helps me perform my job better. I also wanted to work somewhere with close access to outdoor activities.

Q: What do you enjoy most about serving the Sedona community?

I enjoy the balance of doing good police work with enough excitement to keep me on my toes, but also being in a community that is overall very supportive of law enforcement so that I have more positive interactions with people than negative. If I could be a K-9 officer for my whole career I would. I absolutely love training the dogs, the impact the dogs can have on crime and the valuable public relations tool they are to connect with the community.

Q: What are your daily or weekly responsibilities?

I am Sedona Police Department’s only K-9 officer, so I keep a busy schedule. I train my K-9 daily, as well as weekly trainings with other K- 9s. I respond to calls that may involve use of force, conduct traffic enforcement and criminal interdiction, respond to assist Sedona officers or other agencies for narcotics sniffs and criminal apprehensions with my K-9. I train twice a month for SWAT and respond to SWAT callouts.

Q: What hobbies do you have away from work?

I am an avid hiker and mountain biker. I come to Sedona weekly on my days off to ride my mountain bikes by myself or with a couple of the Sedona officers who also ride frequently. I also camp whenever I can with my wife and off road in my RZR side-by-side.

Q: What’s your all-time favorite movie?

“For The Love of the Game” is my favorite movie. Baseball was my favorite sport growing up and I pitched a perfect game in the state playoffs in high school, so that movie has special meaning to me.