Brothers Make Career In Law Enforcement

The law enforcement family is close in communities all across America, but in Van Zandt County there is a special bond that exists between two brothers. One is a Wills Point Police Officer, the other a Department of Public Safety Trooper. They are twins Brandon and Landon Corbett.

It is no wonder the two became interested in law enforcement at a very young age having grown up around it with their dad Dale Corbett – a former Van and Wills Point police officer, and former Edgewood Police Chief.

"My dad being a chief in Edgewood, there were some days when he was working and we would be at the office (with him) and we didn’t have a babysitter and we could hang out up there and hide in the back," Brandon said. "We had an inside from that point on. We knew how to do that job before it came to us."

Police "lingo" such as 10-codes was something that came natural to the Corbett brothers.

"My dad, back when he had classes…he would come to us and say what do you think about this? I would be helping him with his homework," Brandon said.

Landon recalled coming to the Wills Point Police Department as a young boy and hanging out with the former chief Richard Koonce and learning from the officers by watching them.

"Ever since we were kids they (his parents) said don’t be a cop," Landon said were his parents comments.

He said they wanted their boys to go on and do something most parents expected their kids to do like be an attorney or a doctor.

So after they graduated from Wills Point High School in 2002, Brandon and Landon set off to college and began their journey at the University of Texas at Tyler.

Both decided on a major – surprisingly enough – in criminal justice.

"We took the same exact classes in college," Brandon said.

"I kinda knew I was going to college for a criminal justice degree," Landon said. "I wanted something federal or state because I have always wanted to work for DPS."

And during their college career, both had bigger plans of following the path they were very familiar with – law enforcement.

"I came to Rickey (Willis) one day and told him that my intentions were to go to the police academy at night in Athens, Texas," Landon said. "He gave me a long speech about how I can’t go anywhere working for a small department. I needed to go work somewhere else. He gave me the encouragement and the experience I needed here (in Wills Point)."

"We have always been real competitive," Landon said with a laugh.

But Landon beat Brandon to the punch, and signed up for the East Texas Police Academy first.

"I didn’t tell my mom and dad I had signed up for the police academy," Landon said. "So I was living in Tyler, going to the University of Texas at Tyler working on my bachelor’s degree."

Landon began police academy classes at night, in 2006, going to UT Tyler during the day. Then graduated and began reserving for Willis until he was hired by Wills Point Police Chief Scott Johnson, after Willis retired.

Later Brandon entered the academy while still attending college and graduated in December 2007 from UT Tyler and from the police academy.

After graduating Brandon got on as a reserve for Wills Point PD and in February 2008 was quickly hired on full time.

"We already had the upper hand in training before we went to the academy," Brandon said.

"I found that you learn a lot more from the work at the police academy than you do in college," Brandon said. "College is aimed more at the criminology and things like that and I learned a lot, but the actual hands on stuff you learn from family violence, offenses and things like that you learn at the academy, is the stuff you use every day."

Brandon and Landon said their parents support was tremendous through the process.

"I think they probably already had an idea of what we were doing," Brandon said about his parent’s reaction.

"They were fine with it," Landon said. "The whole thing was they wanted us to do whatever we wanted to do and be good at it."

For a 10-month time period, the twins worked together at the same time, but soon the chief put them on different shifts with Landon working nights and Brandon working days.

Landon said after graduating from the police academy he had an application for the Texas Department of Public Safety Academy sitting on his kitchen table for a while.

"Back in 2006, after graduating the East Texas Police Academy, I just didn’t know if I wanted to do two police academies back to back," Landon said.

Then in September 2008 Landon entered the DPS Academy in Austin and graduated March 27, 2009.

"I always knew that was what I wanted to do," Landon said. "…I wanted some flexibility to move around and a wider area to work – statewide."

The opportunity to work hurricanes, the border, and possibly move up the ladder to DPS auto theft division or into the Texas Rangers are just some of the avenues offered through the department that interest Landon.

"Working here (in Wills Point) gave me everything I know. I went to DPS with a heads up," Landon said.

Landon even graduated valedictorian of his academy class, and he credits that accomplishment from the things he learned from working in Wills Point, his college classes, and watching his dad.

"I was so glad I had the opportunity to work here (in Wills Point)," Landon said.

"I was glad I had the opportunity to work with Terry Jackson, even if it was for a short time," Landon said of the retired DPS corporal.

As a rule with State Trooper rookies, Landon rode with the other troopers for six months before he was allowed to go out on his own. This gave him the opportunity to see how each trooper worked and learn from each of them.

Landon added that he was thankful to be stationed back in his home county, and just in time for the birth of his son.

Brandon has high hopes too as he has been working toward his goals at the Wills Point Police Department.

"I have applied to a federal agency and have been working on that process," Brandon said.

His hopes are to go state or federal in his next career move in the near future; also taking with him the basic knowledge he has gained growing up in the police world.

"We learn something new every day. Laws change every two years," Landon said. "You can’t stop learning in this job, because the minute you do the criminals don’t stop learning. They are getting smarter."

But when it is all said and done it all comes down to service at the end of the day. Something Brandon and Landon do unselfishly.

"Both of us like helping people," Landon said.

They are both quick to give credit to those who have filled their path with words of wisdom and encouragement along this journey.

Their dad Dale Corbett and his friend former Wills Point Police Chief Rickey Willis were at the top of their list. Both have been friends since they were very young, and Landon and Brandon consider themselves very close to Willis.

Another mentor Brandon mentioned was their uncle Clint Bassett who serves as a captain with a Las Vegas Search & Rescue team.

Spending any amount of time with Landon and Brandon it is obvious they have a heart of service.

They both have a unique personality, and are not only close because they are twins and brothers, but because they share a special bond in the law enforcement family.

"It is real simple," Landon said. "We were just raised in a family for it."

"I knew what I wanted to do and I think he did too," Landon added.

"I like it and learning about what we do," Brandon said. "…In the end I just really enjoy this."

Although their dad is not still in law enforcement, his legacy is carried along with that from other officers who may not have realized the impact they made on two young boys.

"It is rewarding. There is no doubt about that," Brandon said. "You make it what you want."

"I did this for free. Reserving you don’t make a dime and I was up here 40 hours a week," Landon said. "But I was up here learning a ton from the other officers. I still haven’t made it a job yet and I don’t want to make it a job. I just like helping people."

"I like working with the local departments," Landon added. "At the end we all should have the same goal and that is to protect."