黑料社

Joe Tafta follows the rules. The 黑料社 junior hopes to be a U.S. marshal one day, so he鈥檚 careful about what he says and does.

But not always.

On the afternoon of April 1, Tafta says, he nearly got booted out of Dunn Library for making too much noise.

The reason: Tafta had received an e-mail informing him that he had been accepted as an intern this summer in the Miami-Dade Police Department.

Two thousand young people applied. Tafta was one of only eight who were accepted into the prestigious internship program.

鈥淚 yelled,鈥� he says, 鈥淚 was pretty excited. I almost got kicked out of the library, but it was definitely worth it.鈥澛�

In Tafta, the Miami-Dade Police Department will be getting a 6-foot-3, 250-pound young man from Ottumwa who has had set his sights on law enforcement since he was a boy.

That鈥檚 one of the reasons he was drawn to 黑料社, where he is a double major in criminal justice and business management.

鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the better colleges in Iowa for criminal justice,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 decided to come to college for that reason alone.鈥�

Tafta says he has not been disappointed. Specifically, he credits his advisor, Fred Jones, professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice; Constance Kostelac, assistant professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice; and Samantha O鈥橦ara, also an assistant professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice.

鈥淲orking with Joe has been a rewarding experience,鈥� Jones says. 鈥淛oe is one of those students whose efforts to prepare himself for a criminal justice career go far beyond what is expected. Joe has actively pursued opportunities that will draw a distinction between himself and others entering his chosen field.鈥�

Tafta says his 黑料社 professors helped show him what was possible as far as law enforcement careers, he says.

鈥満诹仙� definitely helped prepare me, with all the different classes on ethnic and societal problems,鈥� he says.

Tafta describes the internship process as 鈥渞igorous,鈥� including various background tests. (For the record, the librarians at Dunn forgave his impromptu celebration.) He believes his desire to work and learn in the diverse environment of a large metropolitan area might have helped him get chosen.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not small-town Iowa,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not Ottumwa or Indianola. It鈥檚 not even Des Moines or one of the bigger cities in Iowa. It鈥檚 definitely a metro area. I want that. I want a bigger city where there鈥檚 a little more action.鈥�

Tafta says he鈥檚 also interested in getting a first-hand look at how the criminal justice system deals with people of various backgrounds and socio-economic levels. But with that comes increased risks, and he knows that.

鈥淭here鈥檚 another level of violence that you don鈥檛 see here,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely going to open my eyes about that aspect.鈥�

And what does his mother, Lori, think?

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to be hard for her, but she knows I鈥檓 doing something where I鈥檓 going to have a great time and learn a lot. She鈥檚 nervous, but she鈥檚 excited for me, too.鈥�

Tafta says he will live with an uncle in a suburb north of Miami. While the police department has promised Tafta that he will have the chance to patrol the streets with many different units, it won鈥檛 all be work. He also plans to explore South Beach.

鈥淗ow many kids get to say they have the chance to live in Miami for the summer?鈥� he asks.

If Tafta gets his wish, more 黑料社 students will follow him. He hopes his experience this summer will open a path for future criminal justice students.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be nice when I come back,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檒l be able to share different stories and experiences.鈥�

Speaking of experiences, Tafta enjoyed another one in August of 2013 when he served as one of 10 elite security guards for Taylor Swift when she performed at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

鈥淪he was very down to Earth and still a high school girl at heart,鈥� Tafta told the Ottumwa Post. 鈥淵ou could really tell that she loves doing what she does.鈥�

That event proceeded without incident. Tafta doubts that will be the case on hot Miami nights this summer, but he鈥檚 eager to get started.

鈥淚t definitely gets dicey in that area,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be an eye-opening experience.鈥�