Every day, police officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public. Their sacrifices often go unnoticed and unappreciated despite their heroic efforts to keep us all safe.
Traffic Investigator Andrew Orum is one of these officers. While he’s on duty, his highest priority is to be of service to his community.
“I love helping people,” he explained. “My role is to be a part of the community as much as it is to serve the community.”
Orum’s work for the Bridgeport Police Department involves investigating major traffic accidents. And like any good investigator, he stays open-minded and has a sharp eye for details.
“I take each investigation very seriously,” Orum said about his approach to working with the community. “I try to be as personable and welcoming as possible, and the key word here is ‘transparent.’”
The job as a first responder can be physically exhausting and mentally challenging. Orum is on the scene at traffic fatalities and injuries, bringing justice for victims and their loved ones.
“The job is trying and it is tough,” said Orum, “and it’s all these things that an officer should expect it to be.”
Orum has been a police officer in Bridgeport for six years, but his career in law enforcement started earlier, when he served in the U.S. Army Military Police. That experience informs how he supports his fellow AFSCME Local 1159 members who wear the badge.
Orum standing in front of the Bridgeport PD Traffic Division building entrance. Photo credit: Aaron Gallant/AFSCME.
“We can relate to each other, and we have the power to make healthier choices for each other,” he said. “I think that’s so important—now more than ever.”
In recent years, his employer has rolled back health benefits for future retirees at Bridgeport PD. Orum is an outspoken advocate for ensuring officers have the health care they need after they retire.
“I think it would be a lot different for officers if they could have medical in their pension after they retire, plain and simple,” he said. “It would help in retention and it would help in recruitment.”
Despite all the challenges, Orum is eager to take on more. He is applying to become a sergeant and join the department’s scuba diving unit. And he’s doing all this on behalf of a community he knows and loves.
“I welcome people to Bridgeport—it’s a beautiful place that more people need to visit, experience and try out.”
Public safety professionals are increasingly turning to AFSCME to build power at work, and to advocate for safety on the job, better wages, good health care and a secure retirement. AFSCME members in corrections, law enforcement and emergency response defend our freedoms and those of the communities we serve.
