Sure, there are laws to enforce, rights to protect and protocol to follow. But Sam Sanger wants to interpret his job as a police officer in his own way and apply his personality, principles and character to the position.

It's an individualized approach that produces a greater good. It's a mindset that, when multiplied 40 times, makes the East Lampeter Township force an effective law enforcement agency.

"Whatever my personality is, it is what it is," said Sanger. "I'm laid back and friendly. But not every officer can have the same personality; you have to have a good mix. For me personally, I look at it like if I was in (a victim or offender's) shoes, how would I want to be treated? I think it helps the whole situation. I'm human just like they are. They have a heart. They have a soul."

Sanger is a 22-year veteran of East Lampeter Township's 40-officer police force. He's a member of a team that pools its collective resources and talents to protect and serve local residents.

Sanger said that "99.99% of what we do is protect and serve." He added, "But for me personally it's about trying to make a difference. It's not like, 'How many people can I arrest?' or 'How many tickets can I write?' It's trying to make the world a better place. Every contact I have with a person, I want it to be a positive contact. I try to look at the cup as half full."

Sanger has seen just about everything there is to see over his career. But what he sees most often are vehicular accidents, shoplifting, speeding, domestic violence and drug offenses.

Like all of his fellow East Lampeter Township police officers, Sanger responds to an average of about 350 calls a year, every one of which requires some level of report or paperwork.

"I think being a police officer has made me a better person, just because of the dealings I've had with people," said Sanger, a 1996 graduate of Lebanon Christian Academy. "It's not just a paycheck for me. I feel like I'm meant for this job and this job is meant for me. It's something I love doing, and I can't see myself doing anything else. I like getting out on the front lines and being that officer on the scene, that first contact. My faith in God is one of the things that keeps me going, but helping others helps me."

While attention to detail serves him in many ways, Sanger takes an even greater sense of pride from enforcing DUI statutes and keeping area roads safe for drivers. In 2023, Sanger was recognized by the DUI Council of Lancaster for his county-high 65 DUI arrests, a distinction he's earned nearly a dozen times throughout his career.

"It's kind of like one of my things," said Sanger. "I like getting impaired drivers off the roadways. It's just something I was drawn to. It's about putting the time in and putting the effort in. But sometimes it's something that just happens."

Sanger graduated with a degree in law enforcement from Pensacola Christian College in Florida in 1998. He was employed as a security officer at the Hershey Company before coming to East Lampeter Township in 2003.

"I'm representing East Lampeter Township and the officers of East Lampeter Township," said Sanger. "We're here to help the citizens of East Lampeter Township. We don't want people to think of us as disciplinarians. We want people to trust us and rely on us."

For additional information about the East Lampeter Township police force, go to https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/eastlampeter.