Shaquille O’Neal is a man of multiple talents. Like all kids, the NBA legend had a plethora of dreams and ambitions. Besides becoming an NBA player and a rapper, he also dreamed of contributing to law enforcement. As Shaq grew up, he managed to accomplish everything that he dreamed of and much more. The Los Angeles Lakers legend who warned his sons on behavior with the cops, recently revealed why he chose to work with law enforcement.

Shaquille O’Neal is considered one of the most dominant players in the NBA to ever grace the court. Apart from winning four NBA championships, Shaq had a wide array of dreams that led him to various walks of life. The Lakers legend established himself as a star in the entertainment field and grossed a $400 million fortune as a business mogul. Despite his success in several areas, Shaq harbored a dream of becoming a policeman.

Shaquille earned his badge in an old-fashioned way by passing the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s test just like an ordinary citizen. He served as an honorary US Deputy Marshall in 2005. ‘The Big Aristotle’ also worked as a deputy for the Broward County Sheriff’s office in Florida.

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In addition, Shaq became an auxiliary Sherrif with the Broward’s Sherrif’s office in 2019. In his recent docu-series, ‘From Shaquille to Shaq,’ the Lakers legend revealed why he chose to become a cop.

Why did Shaquille O’Neal become a cop?

During the third episode, Shaq revealed that there was a regulation of neighborhood policing when he was growing up. He reckoned that certain police officers were posted in specific neighborhoods and they would know everyone who lived there.

Moreover, Shaquille O’Neal added, “The thing about Uncle Mike and Jerome, they would go in the projects, no guns, no nothing, and get ultimate respect.”

The four-time NBA champ shared that the respect that his uncle Michael Parish and Jerome Crawford got in his neighborhood inspired him to take on the law enforcement journey. Moreover, Shaq stated that when he realized his leadership qualities while working with the community, he decided to join the police academy.

Shaq’s warning about police to his sons

In 2020, Shaquille O’Neal appeared on the ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!‘ show. He spoke up on the police brutality fiasco that led to the death of George Floyd, an African American citizen.

The NBA Hall of Famer shared the warning that he gave his sons about the police. Shaq told his sons to defuse the situation with a show of respect if they got pulled up by a cop. O’Neal added, “If it happens to get rough, don’t say anything, don’t do anything, just comply.”

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Moreover, he advised his sons to call him the first chance they get. He told them not to take on the cops all alone. He informed his sons to comply with the police officers to avoid a possibly life-threatening situation. Thus, despite warning his sons, Shaquille O’Neal shared a deep passion for the law enforcement