Jonathan Stewart’s badge ceremony was more than a career milestone — it was a homecoming. The 36-year-old Milwaukee native graduated as one of the newest officers in the Milwaukee Police Department and will soon patrol the very streets where he grew up.
“Felt really good, I was nervous. She was equally nervous,” Stewart said about the ceremony, which he attended with his 13-year-old daughter.
For Stewart, becoming a police officer represents an opportunity to be a role model for his daughter and make a difference in his community. The achievement carries extra significance as their first major milestone since the recent death of his wife from lupus.
“I wanna be a role model for her. I want her to look up and see that I’m doing the right thing, and see that if she decides to go down this path, it’s not hard. If I can do it, she can do it,” Stewart said.
Stewart will be assigned to patrol near the community where he grew up, giving him a unique perspective on the challenges facing the neighborhood…