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Sept. 26 , 2008

Communication is Key to Detective's Success

The Town of Herndon police place a strong emphasis on community policing and their partnership with the community. In this series, The Observer will profile officers who work and live near or grew up in the Herndon community.

By Rebecca Plevin Observer Staff Writer

Unlike most employees of the Herndon Police Department, detective Steven Pihonak does not wear a navy police uniform to work. Instead, he said, he wears a shirt and tie each day in order to appear less intimidating and authoritative.

Pihonak said that when he sits down to interrogate a suspect, he wants to look like that person's friend or equal, and he wants to "build a rapport a little bit with them." A police uniform and a badge, he said, might "make them think twice sometimes about what they want to tell you." Pihonak said a casual style of dress is also more discreet. When he investigates a financial crime at a bank, he said he needs to "just look like every other business person."

Pihonak, who has been a detective in Herndon for six years, said he enjoys being a detective, especially because of the position's relatively normal schedule. He said he works typical hours—10 hours a day, four days a week. The only downside of the detective's schedule, he said, is that he is on call every third week, and occasionally gets called into the office in the middle of the night to conduct interviews. But for the most part, he said, the schedule "works better with having a family."

On his days off, Pihonak said he takes care of his two young sons. He said he acts as "Mr. Mom for the day" and takes the boys on bike rides and on outings to the park. "It's easier being at work," he said jokingly. He said he also likes to get away to his family's house in New Hampshire, where he goes boating, skiing and snowmobiling, which he called "the lazy man's skiing."

Pihonak plans to spend his full career in the town because, "Herndon has been good to me," he said. "There is no reason for me to go anywhere else." After Pihonak completes his 25 years with the police force, he said he is interested in finding a job in the private sector, where he can utilize some of the knowledge and skills he has gained as a detective.