Employee Spotlight - Ofc. Pedro Torres

Published on September 21, 2021

Officer Pedro (Pete) Torres joined the Maricopa Police Department in July of 2007 and he currently serves in our traffic unit as a motorcycle officer and in our patrol division as a field training officer (FTO). Pete is the senior member of the “Motor” traffic unit and enjoys sharing his insight and experience with other, newer motor officers. As an FTO, Pete enjoys mentoring and developing our new officers. \

Pete and his wife are from New York and moved out to Arizona in the mid 1990’s.  Pete began his law enforcement career with the Maricopa Police Department in 2007, where he became one of our first motorcycle officers.  Pete brought prior law enforcement experience with him to MPD, from the Tucson and Mesa Police Departments.  

Prior to beginning his career in law enforcement, Pete was studying computer science in college.  But while he was growing up, Pete always thought about being a cop.  He was especially influenced as a kid by police officers he knew, who took time to mentor him and be a positive role model for him.  He really looked up to them and that had a huge impact on his career decision!  

A few of his favorite things:
Favorite sports team: New York Mets.  
Favorite band: Switchfoot.  
Favorite ice cream: Chocolate Chip Mint – any brand.  
Favorite movie: Glory (1989 – Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick, et al).  Favorite restaurant: Sal’s Gilbert Pizza (growing up in New York, Pete considers himself a pizza connoisseur).  

Apple or Android:  
Apple.  

Hobbies / Other interests:
Playing bass guitar.  Model building (cars, ships, jets, anything) and drawing.  Pete also loves to draw and uses his artistic talent as our department’s composite sketch artist.  

Proudest accomplishment: 
Raising his kids.  

Career highlight:  
When Pete began working at MPD in the traffic unit, through the officers’s diligence and dedication the unit was able to greatly reduce the number of traffic collisions compared to that of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) when PCSO had previously been covering the area.  Pete is very proud of this achievement and he takes much satisfaction in knowing that he and the traffic unit are continuing to keep our streets safe each day. 

Best vacation ever:   
Wedding anniversary trip to Hawaii, where he and his wife took a helicopter tour of the island.  

Something his co-workers don’t know about him:   
Ever since Pete was a kid, he’s been fascinated with the Marvel Superheroes.  Pete’s favorite superhero is Captain America, with Spiderman holding a close second place.  Pete is such a huge MCU geek (Marvel Cinematic Universe) that on one Halloween, he elaborately dressed up as Marvel Comic’s Ghost Rider, with a custom-made costume and a real motorcycle with flaming tires, just like the movie!    

Worst jobs ever:  
In his younger years back east, Pete worked at a supermarket warehouse and as a janitor at a rental store.  As a warehouse truck loader, Pete loaded all of the merchandise into delivery trucks, which then took the merchandise to each store.  As a janitor, Pete cleaned the rental store’s public bathrooms, giving Pete ample experience cleaning the toughest toilets around.   

Most embarrassing moment:
Early on in Pete’s law enforcement career, he was a bicycle officer on night shift.  One night, after picking up tacos for lunch on his bike, he deployed his front handbrake too hard and he flew over his handlebars.  His fellow bike patrol team watched as Pete and all of the tacos went airborne.  Let’s just say that his ego was hurt more than his elbows.  Nice one, man.

Growing up, Pete’s dad had a huge positive influence on him.  Pete’s dad was a hard-working chef who lead by example and who was polite and respectful to others.  This inspired Pete to embrace those same values.  Pete’s definition of success is keeping one’s marriage and one’s family the number one priority in a culture where divorce rates are high and family values are low.  

Way to go, Pete!  We’re blessed to have you on our team!  

Well, that concludes this edition of the MPD Employee Spotlight.  Stay tuned for the next edition, coming soon!