One of the newest members of the Carroll Police Department, Steve Pudenz, grew up on a farm near Auburn and attended Southern Cal High School in Lake City. After graduating from high school, he began taking college courses in pursuit of his dream of becoming a member of law enforcement.
However, after college, he took a different path for a number of years. As he got older, Pudenz returned to that dream while evaluating exactly what he wanted to do with his life. He graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in Johnston about six weeks ago, and says it was a much different education than the one he had previously received.
Pudenz says the first day of putting on a Carroll Police Department uniform was a little stressful, particularly in making sure that all of the equipment needed is in the right place and ready for any eventuality that may arise. He is currently in the field training officer rotation, where he partners with different officers on different shifts. He says one of the biggest adjustments he needed to make since coming onto the team is actually more mental than physical.
So far, Pudenz says his favorite part of the job is the connectedness with other officers and their commitment to not only protecting, but serving the people of the Carroll community. Pudenz has been married for nearly eight years. He and his wife, Kayce, have two daughters, Elise who is four and Nora who will soon turn two.
