For Rossford Police Chief Glenn Goss, Sr., every day has become Take Your Child to Work Day.

Chief Goss’ son, Glenn Jr., was sworn in as Rossford’s newest police officer during the June 13 city council meeting. His father was one of several relatives in attendance.

“It was pretty emotional,” Chief Goss said.

Officer Goss graduated from Rossford High School in 2007. Each member of the senior class was recognized during Homecoming, and part of his introduction stated he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and someday become a police officer in Rossford.

“If you have a child who respects you and looks up to you like that, that’s pretty neat,” Chief Goss said.

Officer Goss attended the University of Toledo and Owens Community College. He served as a military policeman in the Army for eight years, twice deployed to Afghanistan.

He served in several capacities, including nonlethal instructor, area patrol supervisor, driver, gunner, truck commander, and gate guard sergeant.

“I chalk it up as getting that real combat experience and being there with your battle buddies,” Officer Goss said. “You train for it and do so many months of training and exercises, then you get there, and it’s game time.”

During Officer Goss’ first tour in Kandahar, he was awarded the Combat Action Badge after his squad returned fire on two men shooting at them with AK-47 assault rifles.

It didn’t take long for the younger Goss to choose a career path. He recalled seeing his dad come home for lunch when he was 4 or 5, and turning on the lights on his squad car when he left.

“I remember seeing that all the time and thinking, ‘I want to do that,’” Officer Goss said.

Officer Goss, his younger brothers, and a few friends drove around Rossford on their bikes as kids “patrolling” the neighborhood.

“I don’t even think Rossford Police had a bike patrol at that time; we were the bike patrol,” Officer Goss joked. “We were real bad with our fake badges and playing cards in the spokes.”

A grinning Chief Goss said they often stopped people who were walking on grass instead of the sidewalk, enforcing “some real hardcore laws.”

As Officer Goss got older, he started riding along with his dad at night and saw what it’s like stopping real criminals.

Mayor Neil MacKinnon was sure to point out although Officer Goss is the chief’s son, he still got the job the “old fashioned way.”

Officer Goss was the top scorer among all applicants on the city’s civil-service test. Rossford Law Director Kevin Heban worked with outside agencies to conduct the background check.

“In a small town, the last thing I wanted was people thinking Chief Goss brought his son in as if I had a choice to do it,” Chief Goss said. “We have strict civil-service rules we have to abide by. His last name probably made it harder for him to get a job here rather than easier.”

Officer Goss said he doesn’t want or expect any kind of special treatment. He feels a sense of pride serving the community that raised him.

“When I’m on shift and put this uniform on, we represent something bigger than ourselves,” he said. “Same as when I was in the Army. I represented the U.S. Now I represent Rossford, that’s what it’s about.”

Rossford may not be finished hiring police officers from the Goss family tree. Officer Goss’ 4-year-old is already saying he wants to be a soldier and a policeman, just like his dad.

Contact Jay Skebba at: jskebba@theblade.com, 419-376-9414, or on Twitter @JaySkebbaBlade.

First Published July 4, 2016, 4:00 a.m.