It Runs in the Family

Like father, like son.

For years, Derek Luke, a police officer in Kearney, Nebraska, valiantly tried to dissuade his son, Braylen, from pursuing a career in law enforcement. 

Derek and his wife, Sarah, knew that there were less dangerous careers for their son to pursue, and they knew Braylen also had an interest in engineering. So, why not gently lead him away from law enforcement?

Because as the parents finally realized midway through Braylen’s high school years, that if God was leading Braylen to serve Him through law enforcement, who were they to attempt to change His plans?

So, the plan changed, and Derek began to show Braylen more about law enforcement, including opportunities to bring him along on police calls. During his senior year in high school, Braylen would have “police talk” conversations with his dad, and Braylen’s commitment to being a police officer only intensified.

Once Braylen headed off to Cedarville University to pursue a degree in criminal justice, it seemed as though he would follow in his father’s footsteps. Perhaps, though, he didn’t realize how closely. 

After graduating from Cedarville, Braylen joined Derek’s police force in Kearney – wearing the same badge his dad wore 25 years prior. 

Derek and Braylen have the unique opportunity to work alongside each other – Derek going from “dad” to “Lieutenant Luke.” But what keeps them steady is their commitment to their faith in Christ, sustaining them on the hard days.