My name is James Taylor or J.T. If you know me, you call me J.T. I have lived in Waxahachie most of my life. I have been a Police Officer for Waxahachie Police Department for nearly 14 years. I work in Community Services and my primary duties are to be the liaison between the community and the Department. I have worked in various roles within the Department, including Patrol, SWAT, CID, and currently Community Services. I love what I do because I get to be out in the community visiting with people and helping folks. I work a lot with the schools and it is fun interacting with all the kiddos and watching them learn. In my spare time, I try to volunteer as much as possible, watch movies, garden, and spend time with family and friends. I donate at Carter Blood Care a great deal as often as I can.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
Most of my family live around the metroplex. I love being able to attend church on Sunday and sit with a large portion of my family. We are all so very busy during the week. It is nice to reconnect with our faith in the Church on Sunday.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
My current position as I said is Community Services with the WPD. I previously worked in retail for approximately 15 years. The future of my career is I would like to build this position to something huge with more than one Community Services Officers and pass the torch to my successor. I would like to promote to a supervisor. I love the constant interaction with the public in my current position. I have a 3rd grade class that I adopted and I help the teacher with them almost weekly. Teachers work so hard and it is nice to give the teacher some assistance, even if it just for an hour.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
My favorite restaurants in the community are the ones that are only in Waxahachie. I like Tomatos for the variety, College Street Pub for an amazing hamburger, Atkins for amazing seafood. These are places that you can only go to Waxahachie to enjoy.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
I have worked in the community for well over 30 years. I have lived here most of my life.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
I have met so many interesting people in Waxahachie in my line of work, especially working in the community as much as I do. To try to narrow it down would be extremely difficult. The person that comes to mind when I think of that statement without a doubt, is Dr. Jamal Randy Allen Rasheed. I have never been in his presence and not learned so much rich history. He is a wealth of knowledge.
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
I have so many favorite movies. I used to go to the movies alone, just to really enjoy the experience without any distractions. I’d turn my phone to silent and never answer or text while I was there, just to take in the full experience. One of my all-time favorite movies are It’s a Wonderful Life or Saving Private Ryan.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Slow down. Just slow down. Enjoy the moments, the good and the bad. There is so much life to live and so many things to experience. There is nothing wrong with taking time for yourself. Learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward, trying hard not to make the same one. But, if you do, it is okay. We are all human and we make mistakes daily. Live for the moments. Take a moment daily to breathe, to remember, to focus yourself. Above all things, pray.
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
When I think of nostalgic places in Waxahachie, I think of places that are not currently here anymore like the 1879 Townhouse, K-Bobs, Southerlands Wrecker Service, and that Waxahachie Skating rink. Don’t forget Winchells Donut Shop.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I would meet with my old pastor, Bishop Edwin Lipsey. He was the first person to truly inspire my love of the church. He stood beside me when I battled cancer nearly 15 years ago. Every day when I was in the hospital, he would come to visit and pray with me. He would walk in and say “my my my, JT, you look terrible”. I would always say, “But, Pastor, God gave me another day” and we would just laugh. We would most likely go to the Simple Cafe or Atkins Seafood.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
My favorite thing about the community is the love that we share for each other. This community is growing by leaps-and-bounds, but it still retains the ‘small-town feel’. Waxahachie is rich with so many folks that have lived amazing lives, respectively, paving the way for future generations. We must listen to these folks that have lived the lives that they did, so that we do not repeat the past. This community supports each other like no other. It is amazing to see the support and love that we all have for each other.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
I see myself in the same position in Community Service, unless I promote. I see myself in the same home, but maybe with a pet…possibly even a cat. I see myself well into my goal of 50 gallons of donated platelets and blood to Carter Blood Care. I see myself still cancer-free!
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
Most people do not realize that I am a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. They also do not know that I have currently donated 37 gallons of platelets and blood to Carter Blood Care.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
I would rate God a 10 out of 10. There is nothing greater than that. Football is close, maybe a 9 to 9 and a 1/2.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
God above all inspires me to be a better human. Too walk closer with him every day is the goal. My Chief inspires me always to be a better cop. The knowledge that he has shared with me over the years is one of the things that I cherish most dearly. My family inspires me to be better for them. Family-time is the best time.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Peace, Quiet, Recliner