Built like a tank, and trained to face armed suspects, Justin Dodge is the last man you would expect to have a hobby of growing delicate flowers. The 51-year-old SWAT sergeant for the Denver Police Department is learning to appreciate the finer things in life, perhaps because he’s learned how fragile life can be.
In 2023, Dodge nearly died in the line of duty. He survived but lost his left leg below the knee. Although he still leads teams of armed SWAT officers on operations almost every day, he enjoys planting perennials in his garden during his days off.
