Nevada’s newest police officer, Carter Morphew, is congratulated by Mayor Brett Barker after being sworn in on Dec. 9.
A young man who feels a calling to the community service provided through law enforcement is the newest officer sworn into the Nevada Public Safety Department.
Carter Morphew, 19, a native of Bancroft, Iowa, and a 2023 graduate of North Union High School in Armstrong, started employment with the City of Nevada on Monday, Dec. 9.
He’d been working other jobs while studying criminal justice at DMACC and felt drawn to pursuing a police job while finishing his studies.
“This is something I’ve been wanting to do (be an officer),” Carter said. “My girlfriend’s dad is the assistant police chief in Algona, and he introduced me to this profession. He got me on the police reserves (in Algona) right after I graduated.”
As a high school student, Carter was also part of a Student Academy offered by the Algona Police Department. That exposure, along with the reserves exposure, solidified to him that this profession was the one he wanted to pursue.
“I like the community involvement that reserve officers have,” he said, and that full-time officers can have. “Seeing what officers do, I really want to give back to communities in that way. That [culture] has been a big part of my upbringing.”
Giving back and the idea that as a patrol officer, he’d be looking out for the safety of the community are things he really looks forward to doing.
Carter was active in his high school years, especially in sports, playing five years of baseball, four years of football and track, and two years of basketball.
He likes what he’s seen and read about the Nevada community. “The community seems great, and the police department has good involvement with the school and that’s something I like.”
When Carter was sworn in Monday, his parents, Autumn and Ryan Morphew, and his girlfriend, Emma Bacha, were present to witness the moment. Carter also has three siblings, an older sister and brother, and a younger sister.
He will attend the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy starting Jan. 6 and is expected to graduate in late April. At that time, he’ll return to Nevada to begin his work with the Nevada Public Safety Department.
–Written by Marlys Barker, City of Nevada