Esteban Eduardo Gonzalez : Officer for Nash Police Department
Esteban Eduardo Gonzalez has always wanted to find a sense of brotherhood and community involvement, and he saw those qualities through a career in law enforcement. He is currently a patrol officer at the Nash Police Department. “I’ve always had a strong desire to help people and see justice done in my community,” Esteban says. “The most rewarding part of my job would be seeing neighborhood kids excited to see me or any other police officer and wanting to ask questions. Also, being able to actually make a difference in a citizen’s life by helping is very rewarding in my eyes.”
On a regular day, Esteban’s common responsibilities are to enforce all traffic and criminal laws. However, responsibilities can vary depending on the day. “The biggest challenge I face on a day-to-day basis would be making decisions that most citizens would never have to make in their lives. I tell myself that comes with the job, and it will only continue to happen working in this profession,” Esteban says, “However, I know that some of those difficult decision-making moments will be life-saving decisions at times depending on the circumstances surrounding the situation.”
Esteban says that he feels like there is a misconception among some people that suggests law enforcement officers are only out to get citizens or their money, and he wishes they knew how wrong this is. “We simply do our jobs by upholding all traffic and criminal laws. I understand that we don’t catch all traffic law violations, and we don’t catch every criminal law as well, but we cannot do anything if the citizens don’t call and report the things that we cannot see,” Esteban says. “They must remember that there are more citizens than Police Officers, Deputies, and State Troopers. We won’t always be patrolling to catch a crime being committed because we may be on a call taking a report, on a traffic stop, working a traffic accident, or working a homicide.”
One of the biggest lessons Esteban has learned is that not everyone needs a ticket and not everyone needs to be taken to jail. “Yes, there will be times when I write tickets and take people to jail, but sometimes turning the situation into a life lesson to let people learn from is more rewarding,” Esteban says. “I learned that from a senior officer with years of experience over me.”
The most significant accomplishment in Esteban’s career so far would be the time he solved a case that brought peace to three different families. “I was able to solve a burglary of habitation case that helped close three more burglaries,” Esteban says. “That has been my biggest accomplishment yet because I was able to help multiple people recover their stolen property and bring them closure.”
On the most challenging days on the job, Esteban is motivated by his family. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Leslie Villalva, since 2021, and they have a beautiful daughter who is now a year and four months old. “My family motivates me. My wife has always been supportive of my career. She always ensures I am feeling good, and when I’m not, she is always there to ensure I’m OK,” Esteban says. “Knowing that what I’m doing is keeping my family and other families safe is what pushes me through the most challenging days.”
Fun Facts
1. My favorite place to eat in Texarkana is Mooyah, and I always order a Mooyah cheeseburger.
2. The best advice I’ve ever received as a law enforcement officer is never taking the job home.
3. When I’m not at work, my hobbies include hunting, fishing, or cooking out for my family.
4. My dream vacation would be to go to Greece with my family because of the views and the blue ocean.
5. If I could give all Texarkana citizens one piece of safety advice, it would be to constantly watch your surroundings at all times, and if something doesn’t feel right, just give us a call.