Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Adam Cordova, retired LASD Deputy, in Episode 232 of the Transition Drill Podcast shares what it really looks like to build a long law enforcement career without letting the job become your entire identity, for veterans and first responders navigating transition, retirement, and the next chapter. You’ll hear Adam on his time in the SHU, to Gangs, then to secret squirrel stuff, and today a podcaster. All while balancing staying solid at home while still being great at the job.
Adam grew up in the LA area in places like Compton, Lynwood, Inglewood, in the shadows of Firestone station, in an environment where you learn early how to carry yourself and how fast things can go wrong. He talks about a strict but fair father, being responsible for his brothers, and making a point to stay out of gangs even with that influence close by; his father was an OG “Veterano.” By his senior year, he was living on his own, working, and learning how to survive.
Before law enforcement, Adam chased the fire service hard; he actually didn’t like cops. He trained at stations, tested well, and thought he was headed that direction, but the process dragged out and felt like a game. A friend pushed him to test for the Sheriff’s Department as a backup. That “backup” turned into the career.
Adam got hired in 1990, and his early years were exactly what a lot of people don’t want, but every agency needs: the jails, then court services. He talks about how that time either sharpens you or stalls you out, depending on what you bring to the work. In 1995, his first station was Walnut Station. which ended up being a lot busier than people assume. Walnut exposed him gangs, drugs, and real calls, and he learned fast that a good cop can work anywhere if they actually want to work.
From there, Adam moved into specialized work, including OSS, and later spent 11 years living the callout life where nights, weekends, and family time get sacrificed without anyone asking your permission. When homicide came up as the next “expected” move, he made a different decision and went to Tech Ops instead. He breaks down what that world actually looks like: trackers, bugs, hidden cameras, microphones, bug sweeps, digital evidence, and working warrants across the county with a small team that was basically on-call nonstop.
Adam retired in 2022, and today he’s still creating in a different way, working with graphic design and video production, something he’d been doing as a serious hobby for years. He also started his own podcast: A Proper Scoundrel, where he talks with former cops about the stories of their careers. Adam has a great story and offers great advice and perspective on having a long law enforcement career.
CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST:
Instagram: instagram.com/paulpantani
WEBSITE: transitiondrillpodcast.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paulpantani
SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER:
transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS:
paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com
EPISODE BLOG PAGE AND CONNECT WITH ADAM:
transitiondrillpodcast.com/post/transition-drill-podcast-retired-lasd-deputy-adam-cordova-from-wayside-to-oss-then-tech-ops
SPONSORS:
GRND Collective
Get 15% off your purchase
Link: thegrndcollective.com
Promo Code: TRANSITION15
Blue Line Roasting
Get 10% off your purchase
Link: bluelineroasting.com
Promocode: Transition10
Frontline Optics
Get 10% off your purchase
Link: frontlineoptics.com
Promocode: Transition10
#transitiondrillpodcast #militarytransition #firstresponders
Adam Cordova, retired LASD Deputy, in Episode 232 of the Transition Drill Podcast shares what it really looks like to build a long law enforcement career without letting the job become your entire identity, for veterans and first responders navigating transition, retirement, and the next chapter. You’ll hear Adam on his time in the SHU, to Gangs, then to secret squirrel stuff, and today a podcaster. All while balancing staying solid at home while still being great at the job.
Adam grew up in the LA area in places like Compton, Lynwood, Inglewood, in the shadows of Firestone station, in an environment where you learn early how to carry yourself and how fast things can go wrong. He talks about a strict but fair father, being responsible for his brothers, and making a point to stay out of gangs even with that influence close by; his father was an OG “Veterano.” By his senior year, he was living on his own, working, and learning how to survive.
Before law enforcement, Adam chased the fire service hard; he actually didn’t like cops. He trained at stations, tested well, and thought he was headed that direction, but the process dragged out and felt like a game. A friend pushed him to test for the Sheriff’s Department as a backup. That “backup” turned into the career.
Adam got hired in 1990, and his early years were exactly what a lot of people don’t want, but every agency needs: the jails, then court services. He talks about how that time either sharpens you or stalls you out, depending on what you bring to the work. In 1995, his first station was Walnut Station. which ended up being a lot busier than people assume. Walnut exposed him gangs, drugs, and real calls, and he learned fast that a good cop can work anywhere if they actually want to work.
From there, Adam moved into specialized work, including OSS, and later spent 11 years living the callout life where nights, weekends, and family time get sacrificed without anyone asking your permission. When homicide came up as the next “expected” move, he made a different decision and went to Tech Ops instead. He breaks down what that world actually looks like: trackers, bugs, hidden cameras, microphones, bug sweeps, digital evidence, and working warrants across the county with a small team that was basically on-call nonstop.
Adam retired in 2022, and today he’s still creating in a different way, working with graphic design and video production, something he’d been doing as a serious hobby for years. He also started his own podcast: A Proper Scoundrel, where he talks with former cops about the stories of their careers. Adam has a great story and offers great advice and perspective on having a long law enforcement career.
CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST:
Instagram: instagram.com/paulpantani
WEBSITE: transitiondrillpodcast.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paulpantani
SIGN-UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER:
transitiondrillpodcast.com/home#about
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS:
paul@transitiondrillpodcast.com
EPISODE BLOG PAGE AND CONNECT WITH ADAM:
transitiondrillpodcast.com/post/transition-drill-podcast-retired-lasd-deputy-adam-cordova-from-wayside-to-oss-then-tech-ops
SPONSORS:
GRND Collective
Get 15% off your purchase
Link: thegrndcollective.com
Promo Code: TRANSITION15
Blue Line Roasting
Get 10% off your purchase
Link: bluelineroasting.com
Promocode: Transition10
Frontline Optics
Get 10% off your purchase
Link: frontlineoptics.com
Promocode: Transition10
#transitiondrillpodcast #militarytransition #firstresponders
