In a recent Forbes survey, nearly one in 10 five-year-olds said they dream of being police officers when they grow up. While most will eventually change their minds, John Carbone was one of those kids who didn’t.

“I always wanted to be in law enforcement,” said the 25-year veteran of the Clinton Police Department (CPD). “I knew it since I was a little kid. I wanted to be one of the good guys.”

An 8th-grade civics class helped cement those ideas and get him planning for college and the career that followed.

John, who started out as a patrol officer for the town in 1990, has been promoted several times—to corporal, sergeant, major, and most recently, deputy chief. He has also served as the department’s school resource officer.

Last month, when Clinton Police Chief Todd Lawrie announced his retirement, John was named acting chief of police.

“Right now, we’re transitioning,” he explained. “My job is to keep the ship running while the Police Commission selects a new chief.”

So, what’s John’s key responsibility as acting chief?

“Hiring. We’re a 27-person department, so it’s important to always pick the right person for the job. We look for officers with integrity and good character. My job is to the present the Clinton Police Commission with the best candidates.”

John came to CPD after graduating from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminology. He is now nearing completion of a master’s in criminal justice management from the University of New Haven.

Both disciplines, he said—the science of detective work and forensics as well as the policy and management side—have proven valuable in the day-to-day work of law enforcement. Even a class in counterterrorism, taught by a former U.N. director, has been relevant in helping identify when individuals are at risk of getting involved in a terrorist group or a gang.

“There are often personality traits, steps people take, signs to watch for.”

The hardest part of the job for John is dealing with the tragedies that every community experiences.

“It’s tough to see what drug addiction does, for example. It’s difficult when lives are lost and families are torn apart.”

As for the most rewarding part, according to John, “There are so many. It’s the senior citizen who waves at you. It’s the parent who comes up and says, ‘My child just wanted to meet you.’”

John grew up not far from Clinton—just a few miles west, in Guilford. His mother died of a severe form of epilepsy when he was just five, and his father—with whom he’s still very close—raised him and his sister.

“I grew up on the water. We lived in a neighborhood where we were always outside, always playing sports. We had a lot of pickup games.”

That sort of neighborhood was what ultimately drew John to Clinton.

“My proudest achievement throughout my career,” he said, “was being hired here. It had the small neighborhood feel I remember as a kid, the community closeness. It still has that friendly, know-your-neighbor environment.”

When he’s not on duty—”Well, I’m almost never not working!” he says with a laugh—John enjoys spending time with his wife, Gina; their twin daughters, Aubrey and Kristian; their son, Johnny; and Nala, the family dog.

While the weather’s fair, you can also catch him out on the Connecticut River.

“I recently got a boat.”