Chester County Sheriff's Office welcomes 57-year-old deputy from King of Prussia

Troy Brock, 57, began his duties as a Chester County Sheriff’s Office deputy in June. The King of Prussia resident is among the oldest officers recently sworn into the department. Brock said he viewed the position as the realization of a goal he had held for decades.

Brock described the moment of joining the force as emotional. "It’s very emotional because I thank God for this every single day that I get up," he said. "I know a lot of people say ‘Oh, it’s just a sheriff’s position.’ It’s not, and they have no idea the journey that I’ve been through to get here."

His path to the badge was interrupted nearly 20 years ago. A major injury occurred days before he was scheduled to enter the Delaware State Police Academy. Brock, the son of a Wilmington Police Officer, had intended to follow his father’s career example. After the injury, he worked as a security officer at the University of Delaware, St. Joe’s University and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He later joined Chester County’s Department of Emergency Services.

Chief Deputy Sheriff Jason Suydam met Brock while serving as the deputy director of law enforcement for the emergency services department. Suydam extended an offer to Brock after moving to the sheriff’s office. Suydam stated the department is re-evaluating recruitment to ensure officers reflect the diverse community they serve. "We want people that live in the community to be part of this law enforcement organization and reflect the variety of people that live and work here," Suydam said.

Brock recalled his initial reaction to the offer with humor. "I had to chuckle a little bit because I felt like I’ve already buried that skeleton, and I wasn’t going to pursue it, because it was pretty heartbreaking," he said. "But he saw something in me, and I knew I couldn’t let him down."

To prepare, Brock followed an intense workout schedule for several months. He entered the police academy in January of this year. Suydam said he believed in Brock’s ability to succeed despite the officer’s earlier doubts about his age. "I don’t subscribe to being too old or too young to do something if your mindset is you want to accomplish it," Suydam said.

In the five months since his induction, Brock has taken on a mentoring role for newer recruits. Many of these officers are young enough to be his children. Brock said he focuses on teaching them that the job requires honesty. "The most important aspect that I teach to them is it’s not about chasing a dollar or a position; it’s about having integrity," he said. "That’s the backbone of law enforcement, being honest and having integrity."