Behind the Badge: Commander Paul Szabo

Columbus Division of Police Commander Paul Szabo has called Columbus home his entire life, and for nearly 14 years he’s devoted himself to protecting it. His career has carried him from long shifts patrolling the West Side to leading teams in Linden and Milo-Grogan, guiding initiatives like Safe Streets, and now steering citywide operations through the critical overnight hours as Watch Commander.

Along the way, he’s been shaped by mentors and father figures whose guidance he sums up in a single poem, one that’s stayed with him through every stage of his career. In this Behind the Badge feature, he reflects on those lessons, the moments that defined his path, and what it means to serve the city he’s always called home.

Behind the Badge: Commander Paul Szabo

Q: Please tell us a little about yourself.

A: I have lived in Columbus my entire life, attended Columbus Catholic Schools and graduated from The Ohio State University.  The day after Christmas this year will mark 14 years contributing to public safety as a member of the Columbus Police Department.  As an officer, I mostly served the West Side on 15 and 19 Precincts.  As a sergeant, I mostly supervised the campus area and Linden, while also being a part of the annual Safe Streets Program.  As a Lieutenant, I supervised the Linden and Milo-Grogan communities, while also overseeing our Bicycle Coordination Unit.  Currently, I am assigned as the Watch Commander to oversee all operations, on behalf of the Chief of Police, overnight.

Q: What inspired you to become a police officer?

A: While growing up, I was always drawn to TV shows and movies involving the police, especially Walker Texas Ranger and Nash Bridges.  In middle school, I had a baseball coach who was also a CPD sergeant and is a family friend to this day.  I had an additional baseball coach in High School who was also a CPD officer and eventually became a sergeant.  Through these two, now retired, law enforcement professionals, I received an inside view of our Department.  Once it came time to make the decision on the direction of my adult life (because it became clear I was not ever going to throw 100 miles per hour and pitch in the Major Leagues), law enforcement made sense because I wanted a challenging and active career which involved more than just a desk.

Q: What's your favorite memory on the job?

A: I cannot come up with just one moment in almost 14 years.  The teamwork and interactions with fellow officers and supervisors over the years are probably my favorite aspects.  I have been extremely lucky to work next to some amazing people in this job.  I have also had many amazing mentors, especially a now retired sergeant who took me under his wing and trained me how to be a supervisor.

Q: What's one part of your job that might surprise people?

A: I think the most surprising aspect of Law Enforcement, for the community, would be the level of care and dedication which exists throughout the ranks of the Division.  Often officers come off very cold and distant to the community.  The fact is it’s a defense mechanism for the stresses and traumatic scenes experienced day after day, year after year, in this calling.  However, every time the most awful and horrific incidents occur, personnel from all over the Division come together to bring a sense of security to the community and bring offenders to justice.  Often this dedication comes at a great deal of sacrifice in extreme exhaustion and time away from friends and family.  It can feel like these demands are never ending and yet, every time, our personnel always answers the call.

Q: Do you have a favorite Starfish Assignment memory or event?

A: Again, I’m not sure if I specifically have one favorite event or memory.  The most enjoyable part is the multitude of interactions with our diverse community, which occur during Starfish events.

Q: When you're off duty, what do you enjoy doing?

A: I enjoy working out daily, watching baseball, football and hockey and playing video games.  The earlier question about officers being cold and distant – guilty as charged.  While I enjoy attending the occasional Blue Jackets, Buckeyes or Clippers home game, I am much more of a quiet night at home person.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you received when you were young?

A: I was very lucky while growing up to have many father figures.  These fathers passed along much wisdom, which I believe is summed up in a poem titled “If” by Rudyard Kipling.

Q: Do you like donuts?

A: Of course I like doughnuts but my waistline and the scale do not.  I’ve also made it a point to not get caught eating a doughnut in uniform due to the stereotype.  I would not want to go viral for a picture of me stuffing my face with an Apple Fritter.

"If" by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!