Facing Arizona: ‘The juice has to be worth the squeeze’

Editor’s note: Facing Arizona is a series that will appear on KTAR.com and social media  — follow KTAR News on Instagram and Facebook for updates — highlighting unique and everyday people across our state and give you a glimpse into their lives.

David Norman is a 45-year-old newlywed who has recently moved to Gilbert. When I spoke with David, he was volunteering his efforts at the Glasser Foundation’s Shop with a Cop event in west Phoenix.

David hails from Richmond, Virginia and has called Arizona his home for 25 years. A track runner, David went to college in Tucson where he attended, and graduated, from the University of Arizona. This is where he fell in love with Arizona and knew he wanted to stay here.

After graduation, David was hired on with the Phoenix Police Department, fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a law enforcement professional. This career is what brought him to the Valley.

David and his wife do not have any children as of yet, and when I asked if it were in their foreseeable future, he replied, “We’re working on it.”

He says that the diversity of the state is one of the many benefits of raising children in Arizona.

“The weather is amazing year-round. A two-hour drive up north for snow and camping, the Valley has the desert, lakes and mountain ranges for hiking,” he said. “It’s amazing.”

David and his wife are self-proclaimed foodies and he is ecstatic about the explosion of great restaurants that has occurred over the last decade. He said the number of locally owned restaurants in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Gilbert creates a sense of closeness in the community.

From a law enforcement professional’s point of view, he is pleased with the reduction in major crime, especially the influences of gang violence.

“There are still some big city issues, but the impact of major crimes has diminished in the last 8 to 10 years,” he said.

When asked what changes David would want to see in our state, he avoided being too political. He said that, because Arizona sits on the United States’ border with Mexico, immigration is a pressing concern.

“Illegal immigration is a problem no matter what side of the aisle you lean. You have to recognize that it is a major issue. Many people come here to contribute and make a better life for themselves and their families; they do it the right way. However, there are those that don’t as well and that creates a major wave. It would be nice if we could do something to curtail that right now.”

Before I let David return to his duties as a volunteer, I asked him for one final quote. He replied with a laugh and a grin and said, “The juice has to be worth the squeeze.”