We Are the Dicks

Don't let the last name fool you – we are actually a nice family.

My name is Norman Dick, and I recently joined the Glasgow Police Department as a patrolman. I started with the department at the beginning of December and attended the Montana Basic Law Enforcement Academy this past spring.

My family and I are from Missoula. Our journey here started when I joined the Montana Army National Guard and applied for police officer job openings around the state. I moved here with my wife, Nataliya, and my two sons, Norman and Luke.

However, my background is more than military – I was previously a special education teacher in Missoula before deciding to join the military and pursue a career in law enforcement.

I am originally from Bozeman and attended the University of Montana. I studied education and graduated with a bachelor's degree in elementary education.

I taught fifth grade for one year at Seeley Lake Elementary School before moving back to Missoula to complete my master's degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in special education.

I met my wife, who was also a teacher, in graduate school and graduated in 2017.

I taught special education for four years before deciding to pursue a different career.

During my time as a teacher, we had a school resource officer that had amazing connections with the students in my classroom. This stood out to me because I worked with students, some of whom had a really difficult time building relationships and socializing.

They gravitated toward this officer and looked forward to him visiting every week. I can confidently say it was those interactions and impact of the school resource officer that started my interest to become a police officer.

This career move decision brought some stress and uncertainty. I was not enjoying my job as a teacher and wanted to pursue a career as a first responder. At the time, I was working and my wife was staying at home with our first son, Norman.

After I stepped away from teaching, my wife went back to work while I worked nights as a resident firefighter and EMT. I tried to apply for a position as a firefighter and police officer for the Missoula Airport and got the letter of denial thanking me for my time applying, but they were moving forward with more qualified candidates.

Although this sucked at the time, this made me more motivated to gain more experience.

I enlisted in the Montana Army National Guard, as a 30-year-old, and left my family for six months to become a military police officer.

You don't realize how much family means to you until you cannot see or hear them for months at a time. I did not have access to a phone, just the letters my wife sent me. I am grateful for my wife – the way she supported me through my decision to change careers with a young son at home and another one on the way (my wife was pregnant with our second son, Luke, during my time away).

There were times of stress, and doubt. I found myself questioning my decision to join the military at such a late time in my life. However, it gave me some valuable experience and training I needed to come home and be ready for a job in law enforcement.

I am six months into my tenure with the Glasgow Police Department and my family and I am already getting to know a lot of people here.

We are happy to be a part of the Glasgow community. I am excited to get out on the lake and fish with my boys, hunt new areas of the state, have miles of roads and trails to bike and get back on the ice and play some hockey (and maybe coach if I can find the time to jump on the ice and help out).

My oldest son, Norman, is just about old enough to start hockey – I have had several say he should be a wrestler and I understand the wrestling program here is one of the best in the state.

Even so, I am looking forward to my boys becoming rink rats and traveling around the state with hockey bags and sticks.

I am excited for the sports and outdoor opportunities for my boys and am ready to get involved as a family here in Glasgow.