CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Army veteran Jeff Karau traded one uniform for another, now patrolling the streets of Cape Coral on motorcycle duty, serving his country for 45 years.
FOX 4's Bella Line spoke with Karau about his years serving the country:
"The military makes you grow up quicker and makes you respect more and the more that you do for yourself, you feel like you've accomplished something," Karau said.
Karau served in the Army for 25 years, including one year deployed in Afghanistan, before joining the Cape Coral Police Department.
As he patrols the city streets on his police motorcycle, Karau says he's glad to continue serving, this time in paradise.
"I will be able to enjoy retirement, and I guess, knowing that I did what I did to serve the citizens of Florida as well as the United States, being in the military," Karau said.
The transition from military to law enforcement felt natural for Karau, who knew from an early age that service was his calling.
"Went to our MOS training after we graduated high school and it just felt like it was the right thing to do," Karau said.
While on patrol, Karau experiences varied reactions from the public.
"You get a lot of thank you's out there, and then not so much of a thank you, like we received this morning from some gentlemen," Karau said.
Despite occasional negative interactions, Karau remains committed to his mission of public safety until retirement.
"We're here to help people, and we're not here to be the bad people," Karau said. "We're human beings. We're not robots. Just again, treat us the way you'd want to be treated."
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