So says Kevin L. McKenzie, 24, the newest member of the Pinecrest Police Department.

Kevin McKenzie

"Don't get me wrong, I have no regrets, I love the way my life is going," he continues. "Actually, I'm starting a whole new life, at this point. "

McKenzie recently moved from Palm Beach County, returning to Miami-Dade where he spent most of his childhood years. He's just moved into a new apartment in Homestead and is in the early stages of furnishing it.

"I spend a lot of my free time on the computer," he says. "When I first moved into my apartment I had hardly any furniture, not even a bed. But, I had a desk and a computer."

McKenzie was born in Jamaica, but immigrated to the United States when he was eight years old. He attended Vineland Elementary, Hammocks and McMillan Middle Schools and graduated Sunset Senior High School 1994, where he had a 3.0 grade point average and received the school's Special Recognition Award for outstanding performance in math, criminal justice and drama. He also ran track and won numerous ribbons and medals for his performance on the cinders

After high school, McKenzie attended Miami-Dade Community College, then, at the urging of his family, went to school to study real estate, got his license and began work in the South Florida market.

"I tried it for awhile," he said. "But, it really wasn't for me."

McKenzie says he has always had an interest in criminal justice and his brother, an officer with the Homestead Police Department, influenced him to go into the field of law enforcement.

"He told me that I would love it," said McKenzie. "He said it was the best job that he ever had and that he had no regrets."

McKenzie decided to make a career in law enforcement and paid his own tuition at the Palm Beach Community College Police Academy, an institution sponsored by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office. Upon graduation, McKenzie says he received a call from Pinecrest, where he had submitted an application some time earlier, and jumped at the opportunity.

"I like it a lot," he said of Pinecrest. "I pretty much eat, sleep and live Pinecrest right now. This really is a great community."

McKenzie has the looks of a fashion model and, in fact, has worked as a model in the South Beach fashion scene. He's also worked as an actor and still has the love of the greasepaint.

"In high school, I loved acting and criminal justice," he said. "I don't know how I can fit the two in one career. If possible, I would like to try and juggle them both. But, I don't think anytime soon I'll be the next Tom Cruise. I'm pretty sure that I'll be here (in Pinecrest) for a while. My short-term goal is to get my college degree, my BA."