Good decisions change lives. Matthew Pefine’s personal story is a shining example.
Good decisions change lives. Matthew Pefine’s personal story is a shining example. Pefine enrolled at Great Bay Community College with a clear vision for his education and his future. He chose Great Bay “because I knew what I wanted to do career-wise and I wanted to pursue it in the most efficient way I could.”
Pefine, 24 of Epping, enrolled as a criminal justice major, finished his Associate Degree this winter and is working as a full-time police officer with the Newmarket Police Department. He landed an internship with the Newmarket PD in September, and it worked out so well he was offered a full-time job in December.
He recently talked about his Great Bay experience.
How did the internship help lead to the job?
“The internship was a great steppingstone from being a student to becoming an officer. This is because I got to learn about the community, the people, the employees of the department, and got familiar with day-to-day police work. As an intern I went for a ride-alongs, went over policy, shadowed the school resource officers, observed court trials, did mock traffic stops, and plenty more.”
When did you start working as a full-time officer?
I became employed with Newmarket PD Dec. 6, 2021, and I couldn’t be happier with the department I work for. I love all aspects of my job — even the endless paperwork side of police work — and I’m actually sad when my shift is over. My mind-set for the job is to give it my all. Right now, my career is my number one priority and will always come first. This is because I want to be the best officer I possibly can be and there is just so much to learn.
Why did you choose criminal justice?
I entered criminal justice because I have an obsessive desire to help people. With that being said, I really wanted to serve the public and make a positive impact within the community. My biggest career goal as of now is to make a positive impact on people’s perspective on law enforcement through my actions while on the job.
How did Great Bay help you?
I would not have attained a career in law enforcement without the education I received at Great Bay. I would personally like to thank all of the active and former law enforcement officers that teach at Great Bay. Their personal experience, stories, and teaching styles were all invaluable resources to me and all of the other students that took their classes.
