In LAPD tradition, daughter follows dad's path to the badge


Sometime next year, LAPD Detective Tom Barnhart plans to go back to a patrol car for a shift.

His partner for the day will be his daughter, Sam.

Sam Barnhart, who wasn't even born when her dad became a police officer, walked the stage Friday at the Los Angeles Police Academy, becoming one of the city's 40 newest officers.

The 23-year-old joins a long tradition of LAPD as family. Looking around after the ceremony, Tom Barnhart said four graduates had family members on the force, two retired and two still active.

"It's a very proud moment," he said.

Sam was one of 40 people (including six women) in class 8-12, the eighth recruit class to begin training in 2012.

She said she'd never thought about being a cop until a few years ago despite growing up with a dad in the LAPD. Tom said he saw Sam's inquisitiveness and intelligence and thought she might make a good attorney, but that didn't interest her.

She had jobs at a physical therapy office and as a ride operations supervisor at Six Flags Magic Mountain, near their home in Canyon Country.

But a couple years ago, she told her dad she was looking for a real career.

He mentioned police work, but didn't push it and encouraged her to research it and other fields herself. After looking into the LAPD, she was drawn to the wide range of career paths and the chance to meet new people.

"There are no two days that are the same," she said.

As Tom remembered, Sam came to him, said she wanted to join and asked, "What do I do? How do I get started?"

The department's Candidate Assistance Program, which Tom used 32 years ago, helped prepare her for the physical rigors of the academy.

Tom's girlfriend, Shelly Cloughley, is a physical therapist and helped Sam.

When they started working, Cloughley said, Sam couldn't do a push-up. After their work and the department preparation, she can do dozens, no sweat.

Sam excelled in shooting, too, Tom said, "so I definitely won't be getting into any shooting competitions."

Tom reflected on the changes between his time and his daughter's. When he was in the academy in 1981, officers didn't even have hand-held radios, just car radios. So recruits were taught to tape dimes to the backs of their badges so they could make pay phone calls if they needed help while on foot.

On Friday morning, the 40 new officers marched into the gym in dark dress uniforms and hats. A handful at a time, they lined up to walk onto the stage, salute the chief and get their diplomas. Sam was joined on stage by her father.

After everyone had walked the stage and sat back down, the new officers stood to recite the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics (at their own request), and then the chant they created, which ends "8-12, hoorah!"

Then they tossed their caps in the air, albeit with somewhat less abandon than usual since the ceremony was held indoors.

While on probation for a year, Sam will work in the Van Nuys Division.

That's not far from her dad, who's the lead robbery detective in the Mission Division.

Tom likes hands-on work and never wanted to advance through the ranks, but he figures his daughter might. So unless he retires first, it might not be too long before she outranks him.

That, too, is a tradition. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck advanced further than his dad, who retired as a deputy chief.

Beck told the graduates Friday his family in the department has included not only his father, but his sister, two cousins and two children.

"This is not my job. This is who I am," Beck said. "You are not my employees. You are my family."

With that kind of attitude, Sam Barnhart said later, who wouldn't want to join the family?


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