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The word “police” might make you cringe. Immediately, you think: power-hungry, donut-loving jerks. Ouch. This might seem harsh but the history of police corruption along with negative personal encounters can lead some people to perceive law enforcement officers as the enemy. For those of you still thinking this way, meet Officer Wahed Magee of the Mountain View Police Department. You just might have a change of heart.

Dressed in light blue jeans and a fitted black t-shirt, Wahed Magee takes a sip of his iced white mocha. He looks around the cafe, observing the people around him. I ask him if his profession as a cop has anything to do with him scoping the scene. He smiles coyly, “I’m not necessarily looking for someone to bust, it’s probably just a habit I picked up from the job.”

Wahed’s smile is refreshing. He has what some people call a baby face. His youth is apparent. Although he has one of the most stressful jobs in America, he bares no wrinkles; just two deeply embedded dimples. At 28 years old, he is one of the youngest officers on his SWAT team. Often referred to as the golden child, he is looked up to by his peers. Of course, there is envy too. “Sometimes, the other officers give me a hard time because I’m on SWAT, and it takes a lot to get to that level. They think I get everything I want, but it’s not favoritism. I worked hard for it and I know that. So, I don’t let it to get to me." He shrugs his soldiers. Magee is confident in his position. It shows in his laid back tone of voice and optimistic attitude.

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Magee spent his college years away from home. During his senior year at Washington State University, the unthinkable happened. Magee was at his fraternity’s rush event when a gang of young Asian boys tried to crash their party. After his fraternity brothers denied them entrance, the boys became enraged and started vandalizing their cars. Magee, seeing his friend’s car get ripped apart ran after the gang. “It was funny because I ran out there by myself, and all of the guys started running away from me.” Standing at average height and weight, one would question why an angry gang would run away from one out-numbered fraternity member. “I chased them all the way down the street until we hit the culdesac, and that’s when one of the guys turned around. He pulled a gun out of his back pocket, and that’s when it happened." Magee fell onto the pavement and curled up in the fetal position after the bullet pierced through his stomach. Asked to describe the feeling of being shot, he becomes animated. He motions being punched in the stomach, “Have you ever been hit so hard that it felt like the wind was knocked out of you? Well imagine that, and a burning knife stabbing into you. It’s intense, only someone who has been shot knows what I mean.”

Magee spent the next three weeks in a coma. The experience did not make him bitter or pitiful. Instead, Magee returned to school and graduated with a degree in Sociology. He also decided to go back for one more degree, this time in Criminal Justice. “After I was shot, the detectives who handled my case really lifted my spirits. Just the fact that they wanted to help me find the guy who almost took my life meant a lot. It made me want to do the same for someone else. Now, I can.”

Magee recently helped a rape victim overcome her struggle by finding the man who attacked her. “When you handle these cases, you spend a lot of time with the victims. They put their trust and emotions in you, and it’s the most gratifying feeling when you can help them find closure.”

Wahed Magee is more than an officer who hands out tickets. He is a man of great courage and integrity. He is a man whose own struggle led him to help others. “I know that feeling of helplessness after you have been attacked, and I don’t ever want someone to feel like that. It’s my job and desire to help those people.”

And donuts? Magee chuckles, “Not for me.”