It was a show of passion for the job and a big helping of patience that led to former Manteca Police officer Alan Shupperd getting his badge back after being laid off twice in 21 months due to budget cutbacks.

Shupperd was once again behind the wheel of a police cruiser Monday with Officer Marnix Lub at his side serving as his field training officer – just for the day.

The former MPD officer was among a dozen of his peers who were sidelined in the monetary crunch of October, 2009, with hope he would be hired back when budgetary constraints improved – but that didn’t happen. He and his wife had just bought a house for their young family which they lost when he was forced to step down as a patrolman.

They had moved to the Midwest to be with family where he worked in construction until he heard of an opening with the Manteca department – a job for a community service officer (CSO) – as an evidence technician.

Shupperd and his family moved back to Manteca and he worked in that CSO position for nine months before he was again laid off in a further cut back of the force. That layoff occurred on July 1 of last year.

He had the option to apply with the Bay Area departments that were hiring but he chose to wait out the six months until he knew there would be retirements in the Manteca Police Department. He was hoping that he would be chosen to fill one of those positions.

Officer Josh Luis will be back on the force patrolling city streets on Wednesday and Lance Casqueiro is joining the force on Friday.