Manteca Police Officer Bill Walmer, 42, has given up his 20-year career in blue to join God’s Squad.
Walmer was on track to retire from law enforcement in seven years but felt it was time to do what he had dreamed of doing as a young man after graduating from high school in the San Jose area — work with high school and college students.
Walmer, instead of answering roll call before the start of a police shift, is now answering God’s calling serving as the Youth Pastor of the Crossroads Grace Community Church on Moffat Boulevard.
The former police officer said he will be meeting with the students at Manteca’s high schools along with Ripon High and Ripon Christian in study groups set up by students who are members of his church. He and his wife Jennifer have two boys Zach 12, and Zone, 13.
Walmer and his wife felt that everything was timed just right for the move.
Making the transition from that of a police officer to a church youth pastor is “joyfully terrifying,” Walmer said. He hopes to eventually extend his focus to Escalon High School. He will continue to be a reserve police officer in Manteca and serve as a police chaplain on call.
His youth program is still developing, he said, adding that he meets with his students every Sunday night at the church. Walmer is planning to take about 20 of the students to Mexico for eight days during spring break in March, driving by caravan through Arizona with his wife and boys going along with him.
He noted that the students will be asking for prayer letters and monetary support from the community for their costs much like the missionaries do when going out into the field to help others.
Walmer said that working with the schools will be nothing new for him, having already made inroads with teachers and administrators as a police officer. Walmer’s schedule covers 40 hours a week, Sunday through Thursday.
He earned his Bible and Theology degree from Liberty University in Virginia that took him some three years plus two years of previous college study. He now plans to attain his masters in Theological Studies.
Walmer’s brother was a San Jose police officer and Bill had gone out with him on several ride-alongs after he graduated from high school, liking what he experienced. He ended up going into law enforcement in the Bay Area and later moved to Manteca. He served an internship with the Los Gatos Christian Church before joining the police force.
To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.