Officer Hakeem Whittaker

Hakeem Whittaker decided to follow his dream. In June 2022, he reached out Fulton Police Chief Bill Ladwig and rode along on a Street Fair night.

Less than a year later, Hakeem graduated from the University of Missouri’s Law Enforcement Training Institute as one of five City of Fulton recruits. Next month, they will complete supervised training.

“I always thought about what people thought about me,” he said. “I got to the point and age in my life now that I don’t care what people think about me. I don’t want to be 80 years old and thinking ‘What would have happened if I had chased my dream at 32.’”

Hakeem typically starts his shift by finishing reports from the previous day, before going out on patrol.

"We go in the patrol car and look for people who are speeding or have expired license plates, and we just make sure the city runs smoothly," he explained.

Hakeem said he enjoys Fulton because it’s a small town where everyone knows each other by first name.

"Whether it's a 16-year-old kid on the side of the road or a grandmother who fell down the stairs," he said, "helping people in need is my favorite part." "I go home knowing that I did something good today without expecting anything in return."

Outside of work, Hakeem is married and the father of two. He also enjoys fishing and hunting.