In the driver’s seat of his police cruiser, Officer Paul Pecena made his last patrol Friday, July 9, after serving 33 years with the Mesquite Police Department in Texas. Riding shotgun was his son, Officer William Pecena, 24, newly recruited, who’s been serving on the force for a year, now. On his father’s last day before entering retirement, the son is picking up the torch to carry forth Pecena Sr.’s legacy. Serving his community has taught Pecena Sr. many things—especially in these troubling times; he’s learned that for every one person who curses you, there are 20 more in the community offering blessings to law enforcement. “It is a difficult time to be a police officer in this country, but I have been able to patrol the streets with my son for several months and see with my own eyes that he is well-trained, brave, and committed to doing what is …