Email - Counseling@midlandstech.edu

Chief Mark Fallaw , Midlands Technical College

Class of 1996

Interviewed by Kenetta Pierce, Student Employment Services

Mark Fallaw currently serves as the chief law enforcement executive for the North Police Department, North, South Carolina. A 1996 Criminal Justice Technology graduate, Chief Fallaw credits Midlands Technical College in preparing him for the law enforcement field. “Attending MTC while working as a law enforcement officer in my early years, gave me the background for legal issues as well as expanding my interpersonal skills. Studying case law and seeing the actual work on the street provided a firm basis for understanding the complex criminal justice system. Experiencing high standards and demanding schedules prepared me for real-world experiences. Moreover, MTC assisted me in being enthusiastic about honing my leadership skills so that I may be an effective leader.”

After Midlands Technical College, Chief Fallaw went on to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Public Affairs with a minor in Political Science, at Columbia College. Students that are pursing careers in law enforcement should be mindful that not only are proper education, and training necessary, but character and past history are also important factors. Chief Fallaw gives the following words of advice to current students:

“I often tell people who choose law enforcement as a career to work hard, to be fair and to be consistent. Those qualities will make any person prosper in any profession. The public requires an elevated standard for law enforcement officers. Though this standard is often much higher than for the general public, it ensures that we eliminate persons that threaten the trust bestowed upon us. Always make a choice to make the right decision. Those choices leave little for others to question.”

Chief Fallaw provided insight to some of the many stressors faced by law enforcement professionals. “The most stressful part of law enforcement is the amount of time required to serve the citizens. More often than not, citizens do not realize the long hours—from being involved in a case and not being able to leave, being called back to work to collect evidence from crime scenes, meeting demanding schedules for court appearances and hearings, as well as other community meetings and required functions. Specifically, smaller departments typically do not have specialized divisions such as investigations, crime scene, tracking units and other divisions. Those departments require the patrol officers to complete patrol duties as well as specialized tasks. Additionally, the federal and state levels of government require stringent deadlines for submitting data and other reports.”

As with anything, hard work and perseverance aren’t without rewards. Chief Fallaw can attest to the many rewards a career in law enforcement offers, but he feels the most rewarding aspect is the ability to serve the community. “There are a few times when [we] are directly involved in witnessing or preventing crimes against persons. Therefore, the rewards come in being able to teach educational programs that may later prevent a citizen from becoming a victim of crime. Likewise, the rare occasions when an officer can thwart a crime are equally rewarding.”

Serving as North’s Chief of Police for five years has been time consuming, but Chief Fallaw understands the importance of work/life balance. He’s been an avid farmer for over 30 years, and still enjoys farming close to 100 acres of land. In his spare time he also enjoys hunting and fishing, being a husband to his wife and dad to four daughters, ranging in ages from 4 to 18.