My Why: Robert Greer

Robert Greer is a 1996 graduate of Buckeye High School in Deville, Louisiana. He then went on to attend Louisiana State University in Alexandria where he graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice in December of 2000. During his college years, Robert worked as an Assets Protection Officer for Mervyn’s and then JC Penney’s in the Alexandria Mall, in order to experience an aspect of his chosen career.

Robert Greer began his professional law enforcement career on July 19, 2001 with the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office. That career ended on January 4, 2018. He attended his basic academy in Princeton, LA, through the Bossier Parish Community College and graduated on September 13, 2001. Upon successful completion of the basic academy and corrections school, Robert was assigned to the Detention Bureau as a Corrections Deputy. There, his duties involved the housing and security of inmates. In October of 2003, he was transferred to Compliance Coordinator of the Detention Bureau. There, his duties included writing policy and procedure. In June of 2005, Robert was transferred to the Operations Division and assigned to the Detective Division as a Financial Crimes detective. In June of 2006, Robert was selected to participate in a part-time, inter-agency task force, tasked with identifying and arresting adults seeking to sexually exploit juveniles through social networking sites. This was a concurrent assignment with a full case load in Financial Crimes. Robert posed as a juvenile, and sometimes a sexually deviant adult, in an undercover capacity while on the task force. He was assigned to the Northwest Louisiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and later the FBI Cyber Crime Task Force, where he held Top Secret Security clearance. Because of this assignment, Robert was asked to transfer in October 2007 to the Youth Services Division to work regularly assigned crimes against children occurring in the Parish, as well as the internet task force. During his tenure as a Youth Services Detective, Robert Greer was certified by the National Advocacy Center, through the FBI, as a child and adolescent forensic interviewer. He also presented numerous internet safety presentations for church groups, businesses, district attorney offices, and many others. He remained in Youth Services until transferring to patrol in July 2011. In 2006, Robert Greer was also assigned to the Crisis Intervention Team (hostage negotiations) and was an active member until his employment with the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office ended. Throughout the majority of his career, Robert continued to improve himself through education, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Louisiana State University Shreveport in May of 2013, and attending many training classes, including Critical Incident Stress Management.

Robert’s duties as a patrol deputy included responding to calls for service, criminal patrol, and DWI investigations. Robert was trained in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing in 2011 and Chemical Testing for Intoxication in 2012 by the Louisiana State Police. Robert also completed certification as a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) in the field of impaired driving investigations in 2014. Currently, roughly 1% of the national police population are certified as a DRE. The specific task of a DRE is to identify the particular drug category, or multiple categories, causing impairment in a suspect, other than alcohol. The evaluation combines the SFST with the physiological conditions of the suspect (blood pressure, body temp, muscle rigidity, pupilar reaction to light, etc), to render an expert opinion on the impairing substances in a suspect’s system.

On June 19, 2013, Robert was involved in a shooting in which the offender was killed. This was a ‘suicide by cop’ scenario, which created serious emotional turmoil later in his career. He was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office and was praised for his actions. On September 6, 2015, Robert was again involved in a fatal shooting following a lengthy, multi-agency high-speed vehicle pursuit of a suspect wanted for the attempted murder of a Shreveport Police Department officer hours earlier. Robert, as well as others involved, were cleared of any wrongdoing and praised for their action.

Robert has accomplished all of this while also overcoming difficult medical issues. He broke his back in October of 2001, August of 2006, and April of 2019. He was also diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in August of 2006 while in the hospital with a broken back and wrist, among other injuries. Robert endured two major abdominal surgeries due to the Crohn’s Disease becoming acute, subsequently rupturing his colon. The first surgery resulted in a colostomy bag, which was removed during the second surgery approximately 7 months later.

Robert’s career with the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office ended for a variety of reasons, most of which were associated with the diagnosis of PTSD. This diagnosis was difficult for Robert to accept, and admittedly, his life went off course for a while. Though he had been a ‘tee-totaller’ all of his life, Robert turned to the negative coping mechanisms of alcohol and pain pills in 2007 to relieve his distressing memories and emotions that began with his assignment on the ICAC Task Force. All of this resulted in his termination from employment with the Sheriff’s Office and complete loss of his identity, thus spiraling him further out of control. In July 2018, Robert was awarded 75% partial disability retirement through the Louisiana Sheriff’s Pension and Relief Fund due to his PTSD diagnosis.

In July 2018, Robert moved his family back home to the Alexandria, LA area and helped a friend in law enforcement grow his business. The business is called Sophie’s Italian Ice and is operated as a food truck. Robert was not fully addressing his PTSD or substance during this time. As a result, on July 4, 2020, Robert’s beloved wife asked him to leave the marriage and their three kids. This began his rapid descent to absolute rock-bottom. On August 1, 2020, after she told him she was filing for separation, Robert finally made the difficult decision to try and take his life back. Robert checked in to Warrior’s Heart in Bandera, TX on August 18, 2020. Through Warrior’s Heart, Save A Warrior, and a dramatic return to God and faith, Robert has confronted his PTSD and substance abuse issues. Through sobriety, faith, and a complete change in every aspect of his life, Robert has made amazing strides in regaining his life! Though he fought for almost two years, Robert could not save his marriage. However, his relationship with God, his children, other family and friends is better than ever! Robert hosts a recovery themed podcast with another sober warrior and Warrior’s Heart Alumni (Kyle Miller) and continues to participate in many healing activities, as well as outreach to others with similar circumstances. Though he didn’t know it, God was working in Robert’s life teaching him valuable lessons on being a living example of resiliency, and he is eager to share that with others! This desire culminated in resigning from the food truck business in April 2023 to start his career with Warrior’s Heart as an Admissions Advocate.

My Why