Gerald Brandsasse is living his personal dream — serving in what he considers the best department and the best profession in the world.

After nearly 24 years in the Suffolk Police Department, he still says every day is different. And he’s now the newest deputy chief in the department, responsible for all of its uniform patrol officers, following a ceremony earlier this month. He replaces Maj. Dean Smith, who retired and took a chief’s position in Wisconsin.

“It’s my job to make sure they have the appropriate education, tools and knowledge to effectively do their job, as well as the safety aspects to go home to their family at the end of the day,” Brandsasse said.

Policing — the term Brandsasse prefers over “law enforcement” — was the only thing he ever wanted to do. The desire burned so strongly that he signed up for the U.S. Army while he was still in high school, because he would have had to wait three years to become a police officer in a local department.

From 1984 to 1992, he served in the Army, including in its Criminal Investigation Command. He came off active duty in March 1992 and started with the Suffolk Police Department in September of the same year.

He was promoted to sergeant in 1999, lieutenant in 2002 and captain in 2013. He says he has enjoyed his administrative duties, despite being a self-described adrenaline junkie, as well as his eight years as SWAT commander.

Brandsasse prefers the term “policing,” because “law enforcement makes us look like enforcers,” he said. “I like to think of us as guardians and not warriors. Our responsibility to the public is to help them.”

He noted that police officers are called upon to be social workers and doctors almost as often as they are called upon to be law enforcers.

Brandsasse said his mentors and his staff in the department have helped him to be successful. Most of all, his wife, Capt. Janet Brandsasse, has “pushed me to continue to do better,” he said.

The Suffolk Police Department isn’t the only place where Brandsasse is able to have an impact. In what’s called a “parallel career,” Brandsasse has remained with the U.S. Army Reserves since 1992. He has attained the rank of sergeant major and currently serves with the 80th Training Command.

“I stay really busy with that life,” he said. He was last mobilized for about a year following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and was stationed at Fort Eustis. But he frequently attends training and other responsibilities.

“I love the profession,” he said. “Every single day is different.”

Also promoted in the March 8 ceremony were Capt. Alfred S. Chandler Jr., who has been with the department since April 1999; Lt. Jesse A. Epperson, who has been with the department since July 2006; and Sgt. Eric Terrell Crawley, who has been with the department since August 2007.