Raised near Bondurant but currently living in Ogden, 20-year-old Madison Dicks – who describes herself as a “huge medical geek” who loves being around kids – is the newest police officer hired by the Nevada Public Safety Department.
“I got my EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) certification from DMACC, and I’ve been working with Bondurant Emergency Services (since finishing high school),” Dicks said, explaining that Bondurant Emergency Services makes up the community’s fire and first responder units. “I’ve been one of the lead medics and have done interior fire work,” she said.
Dicks had also worked at BioLife for a year but had most recently been searching for a new job.
She became aware of the openings in the Nevada Police Department through Ray Reynolds, Nevada Fire Chief, who also works as a part-time firefighter/paramedic in Bondurant.
“Ray thought I should look into this (career). He said, ‘try it!’,” Dicks said.
She liked the idea of being an officer in a smaller department where she’d get to do a little bit of everything. She said she’d love for the job to eventually involve working on outreach with the local school and kids. “I think it’s important kids know who they can trust if they don’t have an adult around,” she said.
She also loves that being an officer in Nevada will allow her to work with the fire department. She said she has a significant interest in the study of fire and arson.
Family Pride
Dicks is proud to come from a loving family, one where she was home-schooled through high school, primarily by her mom. She earned her diploma from “Dicks Christian Academy” in 2019, along with her twin sister, Allison, now a member of the United States Navy, stationed at Norfolk, Va. Allison is a welder in the Navy.
The twins have two older brothers, Jacob, 24, a firefighter and paramedic in Kansas City, and Caleb, 22, a member of the United States Marine Corps, currently deployed somewhere in the Middle East.
When she was sworn in on July 26, Dicks was joined by her mother, grandmother, a cousin, and a few close friends for the ceremony.
Familiar with Nevada
Dicks knows a little bit about Nevada and knows a few people here, too. While in high school, she was dual-enrolled for sports with the Bondurant Schools, and she played nearly every sport, sometimes competing against Nevada. She also, through cross country, got to help run a football from Nevada to Bondurant one season.
She has also come to Nevada for several events the local fire department has held, like the 9/11 Stair Climb. “So I’ve gotten to know a lot of Nevada’s fire department members,” she said.
“So far, I love the (Nevada) community. I absolutely love everybody here, and knowing a lot of people already has made it easier,” she said.
Her first week on the job has been filled with lots of paperwork, riding around town with fellow officers, and a uniform fitting. She leaves for the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (a requirement for all new police officers) on Aug. 30.
About the Academy, she said she looks forward to the challenge. “My physical agility is on a firefighter level right now, so when it comes to being able to lift weight and be in a male-dominated field, I’m used to that,” she said. As for the other studies she’ll undergo at the Academy, “you just put your nose to the grindstone and get it done,” she said. She looks forward to meeting other Academy attendees.
As the person who pointed her to the job, Reynolds said he is always excited to recruit people to what he knows is a great organization. “Maddie is one of the best EMTs I’ve worked with. We’ve been the first ambulance on ‘baby not breathing’ calls, major car crashes, and other serious medical calls. She is hands down always calm and compassionate in her care.”
Dicks is excited to begin her police officer journey. As to whether it’s a career she’ll stick with for the long term, right now, she’s hoping to, but “the future is definitely not guaranteed,” she noted. Dicks is going to put everything she has into the job and see where it takes her.
When not working, Dicks loves being out in agricultural areas (because she grew up on a farm). She loves animals and has a dog Axel (a big Bullmastiff). She also loves playing guitar and writing songs, athletics, hiking, and workouts. “I like to physically find out what my body can do and push it!”
–-Written by Marlys Barker, City of Nevada
