From an early age, Hank Day’s father, Travis, instilled two things in him: law enforcement and God.

Now Day, 31, is proudly living out both those teachings to the fullest.

After a seven-year stint with Bainbridge Public Safety coming to an end last Thursday, the next step in his career is becoming an agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

“I just though it would be kind of cool and interesting to work more serious cases,” Day said. “I’m methodical with anything I do, from the smallest little investigation up to the biggest. I try to be consistent no matter who the victim is.”

Day said after meeting various GBI agents of the years, he was attracted to their aura of professionalism. There was just something about them he loved, and he wanted to be a part of it.

His father retired from the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office in 2000. He was always laying the law enforcement option in front of Day. But at the time, he had other career plans.

After high school, Day enrolled at Bainbridge State College and earned a two-year degree in marketing and management. He graduated in 2008, a time when the job landscape was in the gutter. Day’s dream of opening a small business was set aside. Right then, he just needed income.

“I thought I would give (law enforcement) a try,” Day said, “and I really, really loved it.”

Day loved his work at BPS so much, in fact, that he returned to BSC to earn an associates degree in criminal justice. If this was something he really wanted to do, Day was going to invest his time and money into it. The thought of working for the GBI cemented itself in his head.

The next course of action took a toll on him, though. To become a GBI agent, a four-year degree was needed. Day enrolled with Valdosta State University and the University of Georgia online. He continued to take classes at BSC. He was flooded with 21-hour class loads. And that was in between shifts at BPS.

His wife, Summer, supported him the entire way.

“My wife has been going crazy over the years dealing with this,” Day said. “She’s been super supportive. Anything I wanted to do she has been there right beside me.”

Six weeks before he graduated with his bachelor’s degree, Day’s father passed away. He was buried in Mt. Pleasant. When Day was traveling back and forth to Atlanta for interview with the GBI, he would stop at his grave, talk to him, ask for support.

There were between 500 to 700 applicants with GBI this year, Day said. He was one of the 13 chosen for hire.

“Faith was the entire thing,” Day said. “I’m just some average Joe from nowhere. Out of 700 people, what are the chances I will be picked? I won’t say without God I wouldn’t be here. I’m only here because of God. I’m so thankful for my dad for instilling it in me. God is the sole reason. Normal people just don’t have the energy and strength the ability to do all that at one time. He’s the only reason I got through it.”

Day will be stationed in Thomasville where he will be covering Brooks, Colquitt, Decatur, Echols, Grady, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole and Thomas counties.

He and Summer just had a baby boy, Deacon. He’s four months old.

There’s a lot on Day’s plate, but what lies ahead for his family and his career excites him.

“We just bought a house, just had a baby,” Day said. “It’s overwhelming at times, but it’s all good stuff, and it’s all because of God.”