Shaq Applying For New Badge In Ohio

NFL News - October 30th, 2009 - Written by John

Shaquille O'Neal has an admitted love affair with crime fighting. He has a giant tattoo of Superman's logo on his tricep, and carries that superhero's moniker wherever he goes. He even spent hours in Miami, while a member of the Heat, training and working with the police force as a U.S. deputy marshal. One day, he says, he would like to become an undercover officer in either Miami or Orlando.

He sure is logging in the hours. On Thursday, it was reported that O'Neal, now with the Cleveland Cavaliers, has applied with the Cuyahoga County sheriff's office to become a special duty to the region's law enforcement. The Associate Press reported that spokesman John O'Brien confirmed the beefy center has applied for the position and will be awaiting word from a review committee of the state agency. If he is accepted, he will need to log 36 hours of training and would then need to pass the Ohio police exam to become deputized.

If accepted, O'Neal would be able to carry a weapon and make arrests, although he would not be a paid staff member.

It isn't the first time O'Neal tried to materialize his fascination with law enforcement. As mentioned, he became a deputy marshal in the Department of Justice in Miami, working with a special department to hunt sexual predators who target children through social media and the internet. He was certified to make arrests in Miami and was allowed to carry a .40-caliber pistol.

Before that he spent his off-court time as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers logging hours with the Los Angeles Port Police, in which he attended the police acadamy and was a reserve officer.

In Orlando, he helped officers of the Orange County Sheriff's Office hunt down three stolen cars.

"Everyone knows the love I have for the people who defend the streets," O'Neal then said. "And the people who defend our country, the armed forces, the Army, Navy, Marines. I want to do something like that, help the community. I want to really learn the business.''

One of his few mars, however, came in 2006 when O'Neal was also a member of a police force in Virginia that accidentally raided the wrong house in a child pornography sting. The police unit, called Operation Blue Ridge Thunder, that carried out a warrant, was mistakenly given the wrong IP address to the computer, thus giving the wrong home address to search.

O'Neal's father was an Army sergeant and he had two uncles who also were members of law enforcement.

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