It’s in the family, after all, with their mother having worked for the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department when they were growing up.
FORT WORTH, Texas — When your job is one of the most dangerous, it’s no surprise a father who has been a Fort Worth police officer for more than 25 years would check on his son doing the same work.
During roll call on July 31, Sgt. Dana Stevenson surprised his son, Officer Kolby Stevenson.
“I saw my dad sitting in the back row when I walked in, and I was like, What are you doing here?” Kolby said.
For Sgt. Stevenson, the visit was about sharing an unforgettable experience.
“Shoulder to shoulder, going to call together and wearing the same uniform. It meant everything to me,” he said.
Stevenson has been with the department since 2001 and encouraged Kolby to pursue his career dreams—only to see his son choose to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“What he instilled in me was to serve my community, and I figured this would be the best way to get back to the community,” Kolby said. “I actually thought about the fire department first. I knew that my interest was to serve the community.”
Kolby isn’t the only son to pick the same path. His older brother, Officer Antoine Stevenson, is an officer with the Keller Police Department. He also knew he wanted to serve the community in some capacity, especially since their mother worked for the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department when they were growing up.
Either way, their father’s influence came naturally and without any pressure whatsoever.
“Honestly, he never really pressed me or my brother to become a police officer. It was just one of those things that kind of happened,” Antoine said.
Though Kolby and Antoine work in different cities, their police districts share a border. Off-duty, the brothers are just as competitive, often playing flag football with their departments. And when they’re with their dad, conversation usually circles back to the job.
“We might tell a couple of funny stories or something that we ran across. That was pretty crazy,” Kolby said.
The police father has done a ride-along with both his sons in plain clothes, like any community member can sign up to do. Sgt.
Stevenson is preparing for retirement soon, but he says before that day comes, he hopes to share a shift with Antione too, responding to calls together—side by side.