Finding his place in the world

While his son, Air Force SSgt. Scott John, fights the war on terrorism somewhere in Afghanistan, Sgt. Ronald John of the Carson City Sheriff's Department embarks on his fourth decade of fighting crime in the U.S -- and he shows no signs of stopping.

"I still feel good personally and I still feel good about my profession," John, 53, said.

Father to a set of identical twin boys and four girls, now grown, John and his wife Dee have been married for 34 years.

He summed up his recipe for a lasting marriage in four main ingredients.

"We never go to sleep angry at each other. Every Wednesday night is our night together. We gave each other 30 minutes when we came home to talk about how our day went and we did dishes together."

If I had drawn up my perfect partner. She would be it. She's my best friend."

The couple made a surprise move to Carson City from Cedro-Woolley, Wash., in 1992 when John lost his position as chief of police after 14 years with the force.

"A new city manager came in and decided he wanted his own police chief," said John who admitted to taking the news hard.

"The only saving grace that I have is the city manager didn't last two years," he said slyly.

Still reeling from the loss of a job he loved, John began looking for police work elsewhere.

A visit to his step-brother in Reno prompted him to apply with the Carson City Sheriff's Department.

In September of 1992 he took a patrol position with the department.

"It was kinda fun to have 21 years experience and go back and be a policeman," he said.

In his 10 years with the Carson City Sheriff's Department, John has worked in practically every department on the force.

From patrol he moved to the detective, after promotion to sergeant, he went back to patrol. When the new jail was built, John filled a slot there getting the facility up and running before landing in his current position as commander of the general services division.

"My career here has been pretty well rounded," he said smiling.

From raising a half dozen offspring in a one-bathroom farmhouse in the lush greenness of Washington 27 years ago, to the arid desert of Northern Nevada and a whopping nine grand kids, John couldn't be happier with his life choices.

He enjoys being a father, is reveling in being a grandfather and proud of his career.

"I like what I am doing. There's purpose and meaning to it. To me that's important. I can find another job somewhere else making a lot more money and not be near as happy. I have found the people that I've worked with really do care and want to do the things that they should for the community. There are restrictions and there are frustrations, but overall, its been a good career and I am very proud of it."